Prelims: Current events of national and international importance |Government policies and interventions
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Rajya Sabha has passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The bill will further amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The proposed legislation seeks to give Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
These offences are punishable with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both.
The Bill also mandates that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung.
The proposal comes after the Union Home Ministry directed states to play or sing the national song at official functions, particularly those where the national anthem is performed.
When the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first.
The National Song Vande Mataram was composed in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
In 1937, when Jawaharlal Nehru became the President of the Congress, he limited Vande Mataram to only two stanzas.
On the other hand, in 1928, when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was Congress President, he requested Timir Baran Banerjee to prepare a complete and dignified musical version of the song.
On 15th August 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had asked Pandit Omkarnath Thakur to render the complete Vande Mataram on All India Radio at 6:30 in the morning, marking the beginning of the first Independence Day.
On 24th January 1950, Dr. Rajendra Prasad stated in the Constituent Assembly that Vande Mataram would be accorded the same respect as Jana Gana Mana.
