Government to move Bill in Rajya Sabha today to make insult to Vande Mataram a criminal offence
The Center will begin the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday, July 20, 2026, with a move to give legal protection to the National Song. Vande Mataram., Listing of the Prevention of Insult to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
This law aims to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act 1971. Current law punishes acts of disrespect for national symbols such as the National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem with up to three years in prison.
The proposed amendment aims to extend similar protection to: Vande Mataram. According to the bill, any action that prevents the singing of the National Song or insults the song in any way can be punished under the law.
The bill was circulated among the members of the Rajya Sabha and listed for introduction on Monday, July 20, and said: “In the meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on January 24, 1950, its President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, declared that the song Vande Mataram composed by Shri Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, which played a historical role in India’s freedom struggle, would be honored equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and that, at present, there would be special customs to prevent insults in the singing of Vande Mataram, which is honored as the National Song.” “There is therefore no legal provision to prohibit any person from deliberately obstructing the singing of the National Song or disturbing any community singing such singing, it is proposed to amend Article 3 of the said Act to include the National Song within its ambit and make such acts punishable.”
Withdrawal of the Bill: Brittas
John Brittas, the CPI(M) MP in the Rajya Sabha, sent a letter to Mr Shah asking for the bill to be withdrawn. He said he made a great contribution. Vande Mataram India’s freedom movement is undisputed and enjoys the highest respect from every Indian. However, he said the proposed amendment departs from the carefully developed constitutional arrangement that has determined the status of the National Anthem and the National Song since the birth of the Republic of India.
Objecting to the claim made in the bill, Mr Brittas said Dr. He said Rajendra Prasad’s statement was not a formal decision taken by the Constituent Assembly by resolution, let alone a Constitutional provision. “What followed is equally important. After nearly three years of extensive deliberations, during which the Constituent Assembly considered every amendment, objection, opposition and competing views before adopting the Constitution, it consciously avoided including any provision that would place the National Song and the National Anthem on the same legal basis. Nor did it recommend the same legal liabilities or criminal consequences,” Mr. Brittas’s letter said.
Therefore, it was stated that it is constitutionally unacceptable to isolate a single sentence from the President’s declaration and use this sentence as the sole basis for expanding criminal liability after 76 years, apart from the constitutional process and solution of which it is a part.
He said that when the 1971 Act came into force, Parliament consciously limited Article 3 to deliberately obstructing the singing of the National Anthem. “If Parliament had understood Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s declaration of 24 January 1950 as providing complete legal equality between the National Anthem and the National Song, nothing could have prevented it from including both in the original law. This omission cannot be considered incidental. On the contrary, it reflected the understanding of Parliament that only the National Anthem guaranteed legal protection under the criminal law, while both deserved the highest respect,” Mr. Brittas said.
Therefore, it was stated that the current amendment represents not only a clarification, but also a significant departure from established legislative policy for more than fifty years.
The government’s move comes amid year-long celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of its founding Vande Mataram. Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had written to the States directing the song to be played or sung at official functions where the National Anthem will be played. Jana Ghana Manais rendered.
Judges Bill
In the Lok Sabha, the government listed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 among the legislative business planned for the opening day of the session.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of both houses met on the eve of the session. At the Lok Sabha BAC meeting, Speaker Om Birla urged members to ensure constructive discussions, meaningful participation and adherence to parliamentary traditions. He called on all parties to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the trial so that issues of public concern can be comprehensively discussed.
Separately, Mr. Birla approved Trinamool Congress member Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s request for a change in the seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha chamber with immediate effect.
It was published – 20 July 2026 12:52 IST
