Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making insults to Vande Mataram a punishable offence. The government said it grants the national song protection equal to the national anthem, while the Opposition criticised the move
AIMIM spokesperson Waris Pathan opposed making the recitation of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory, saying certain lyrics conflict with Islamic beliefs. Citing Article 25, he argued that respecting the national song should not require mandatory recitation and criticised the BJP and RSS
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed legislation seeks to extend the same legal protection to Vande Mataram as is currently available to the National Anthem
The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all Central government offices and Governors' offices to strictly follow the prescribed script, text, diction and pronunciation while rendering the National Song and National Anthem, reiterating existing protocols for official functions across the country.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan said rendering Vande Mataram in full is not mandatory as no law mandates it. His remarks came after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar expressed displeasure over the national song not being fully sung during the government’s policy address in the Assembly
Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda criticized Congress in the Rajya Sabha, alleging it failed to accord due respect to the national song Vande Mataram during its rule. He highlighted the party’s opportunistic approach and clarified the government’s intent to set historical records straight
DMK MP A Raja sparked a heated debate in Parliament by citing Nehru’s letter to Bose to argue that concerns over Vande Mataram predate Independence. He accused the BJP of politicising the issue and said historical sensitivities must be acknowledged
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Congress in the Lok Sabha of dividing Vande Mataram under appeasement politics and overruling Mahatma Gandhi’s wishes. He cited Nehru’s letter expressing concern over Muslim sentiments and said Congress bowed to pressures that later led to Partition-era decisions
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called for establishing the collective singing of Vande Mataram in all classrooms, describing it as a powerful tradition. Addressing Delhi University students, he said it could evolve into a mass movement to inspire future generation
