New Delhi: Parliament on Thursday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making any insult to the national song Vande Mataram a punishable offence. The Lok Sabha cleared the legislation by voice vote amid protests and sloganeering by Opposition members.
With its passage in the Lok Sabha, the Bill completed the parliamentary approval process after having been passed by the Rajya Sabha earlier. It is the first legislation to be approved by both Houses during the ongoing Monsoon Session, which has otherwise witnessed repeated disruptions.
The amendment extends to Vande Mataram the legal protection currently available to the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The existing law prohibits intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in its rendition. Such offences are punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both, while each repeat offence will carry a minimum one-year jail term.
Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai said the amendment places the national song on par with the national anthem and gives Vande Mataram the respect it deserves. He accused the Congress of failing to accord due recognition to the national song during its decades in power and alleged that the party had pursued appeasement politics instead.
Rai also said that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram reflected the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” and concluded his speech by raising the slogan “Vande Mataram.”
The Bill, however, faced strong opposition from the DMK. Participating in the debate, DMK MP K. Kanimozhi described the legislation as a “Hindutva agenda masquerading as nationalism.” She argued that the move was contrary to the principles of secularism and federalism and alleged that it sought to make the singing of all six stanzas compulsory through criminal penalties.
BJP MP Sambit Patra defended the legislation, saying previous Congress governments had failed to accord Vande Mataram the status and respect befitting the national song.
The amendments moved by Opposition members were rejected by the House before the Bill was passed by voice vote. Following its passage, noisy scenes erupted in the Lok Sabha, with members raising slogans. DMK MP A. Raja was seen tearing documents and throwing them towards the Well of the House before proceedings were adjourned for the day.
The passage of the Bill comes amid a stormy Monsoon Session marked by frequent Opposition protests, primarily over the alleged NEET paper leak issue.
