4 min readNew DelhiJul 30, 2026 03:21 AM IST
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a Bill that criminalises intentional disruption or prevention of the singing of the national song, Vande Mataram, thereby according it legal sanctity at par with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend a 1971 law by the same name, which makes insults towards the national anthem, national flag and the Constitution a criminal offence.
The Bill was passed through a voice vote following a walkout by nearly all opposition members. When the upper House proceedings resumed at 2pm, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh invited members to begin a discussion on the Bill.
However, opposition members protested and raised slogans, demanding Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the recent Delhi Police action against students and youngsters who were protesting against paper leaks at Jantar Mantar.
The Bill states that intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in its singing will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or fine, or both. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had introduced the Bill for consideration in the upper House on July 24.
Replying to a discussion on the Bill, Nityanand Rai said he could not understand why some members, and especially the Congress party, have a problem with the Bill. “This is not just an amendment but our commitment towards national awareness, cultural heritage and the values of our freedom struggle,” he said.
The Union minister said that when Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composed the national song in 1875, he had said that one day it will be on every Indian’s lips “as a mantra”. Rai claimed that as Congress President, Jawaharlal Nehru limited the national song to only two stanzas in 1937. He went on to add that in 1938, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as the Congress president, had urged Timir Baran Bhattacharya to compose the full version of the song.
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“On 24th January, 1950, Dr Rajendra Prasad said in the Constituent Assembly that Vande Mataram should be honoured on par with Jana Gana Mana,” Rai said. “Opposing this (Bill) only means that the Congress wants to adopt appeasement and wants to insult our national pride… the country’s youth, workers, and women will not support this,” Rai added.
Earlier, when the Bill was taken up for discussion, there was uproar in the House. Congress’ Ranjit Ranjan was slated to begin the discussion, but as the MP joined her colleagues in protests seeking the Home Minister’s presence, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the member was not interested in speaking (on the Bill).
BJP’s Radha Mohan Das Agrawal, who was given the next opportunity to speak, said that the national song has been insulted for the last 123 years, and added that not just today’s Congress party but even the one during the freedom struggle repeatedly insulted the song.
Among opposition members, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Pramod Tiwari, Sagarika Ghose and Tiruchi Siva sought to demand Amit Shah’s presence, but the Deputy Chairman did not allow them to speak on any issue other than the Bill.
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Manoj Kumar Jha of Rashtriya Janata Dal said, “I am witnessing for the first time that our national song and national anthem are being pitted against each other. Reverence cannot be legislated.” Biju Janata Dal’s Sulata Deo said none of the members of the House can sing the national song correctly and urged that it should be played in all state assemblies as well as in Parliament.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh said that while his party supports the Bill, there should also be a Bill against those who insult the National Anthem and the Tricolour.