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Parliament passes bill that makes insult to Vande Mataram criminal offence
Jul-30-2026

Parliament has passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making insult to the national song Vande Mataram a criminal offence. The legislation was cleared after being passed by both Houses, with the government saying the move places Vande Mataram on par with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana.  

In the Lok Sabha, the bill was taken up and passed amid protests by Opposition members, who have been demanding a discussion on police action against students protesting the NEET paper leak.  The noisy scenes continued even as the House proceeded with legislative business.

The bill - The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 - had been passed by the Rajya Sabha a day earlier. The bill was passed after a debate that saw sharp exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition. Members of the Congress and other Opposition parties staged a walkout during the discussion. 

The legislation seeks to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, to include the national song Vande Mataram under its ambit. At present, the law provides penal provisions for disrespecting national symbols such as the Constitution, the national flag and the national anthem, with punishment of up to three years’ imprisonment. Once it comes into force, insulting, obstructing or causing disturbances during the singing of Vande Mataram will attract the same punishment - up to three years in jail, a fine, or both. The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on July 24 and passed on July 29. The bill was cleared by Lok Sabha on July 30. 


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