Vande Mataram’s insult to soon be punishable offence as Amit Shah set to table Bill
2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 19, 2026 08:24 PM IST
The Centre is set to introduce a bill so that Vande Mataram is on par with Jana Gana Mana. (Generated using AI)
The Centre intends to bring a bill in the Rajya Sabha to make any obstruction or insult to the national song Vande Mataram a criminal offence on Monday, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has been listed in the agenda of the Rajya Sabha for Monday, with Home Minister Amit Shah set to introduce the bill.
The bill will amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which makes desecration of or disrespect toward the country’s national symbols including the national flag, the Constitution, and the national anthem a criminal offence, carrying a punishment of up to three years’ imprisonment.
The bill seeks to give ‘Vande Mataram’, the national song, the same statutory protection as the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’.
According to its statement of objectives, presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of Vande Mataram, which is honoured as the National Song.
“Therefore, in order to prohibit any person from intentionally preventing the singing of the National Song (Vande Mataram) or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, it is proposed to amend section 3 of the said Act to include the National Song also within its ambit, so as to make such acts punishable” the objectives state.
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism. Expertise High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including: The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls. National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus. Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities. National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements. Academic Credentials: Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions. Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
Source: Indian Express
