New Delhi, July 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to make the deliberate insult of the National Song Vande Mataram a punishable offence, bringing it on par with existing legal provisions protecting the National Anthem and other national symbols.
The Bill was passed after a heated debate that witnessed repeated disruptions and a walkout by Opposition members.
The Opposition demanded the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the discussion and raised slogans in the House, prompting Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh to disallow several points of order, saying the House was not in order.
Participating in the debate, AAP MP Sanjay Singh opposed the legislation, alleging that the party introducing the Bill was linked to an organisation that had not unfurled the National Flag at its headquarters.
Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the amendment reflected the nation’s commitment to its cultural heritage, national consciousness and the ideals of the freedom struggle. He noted that the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act was enacted in 1971 to protect national symbols and that the amendment extends similar protection to Vande Mataram.
Highlighting the song’s historical significance, Rai recalled that it was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875 and later rendered by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress session. He also referred to its role during the freedom movement and cited the Constituent Assembly’s recognition of Vande Mataram alongside the National Anthem.
The minister said the legislation was aimed at strengthening national unity and described it as a measure that transcends political differences.
Several members from both the treasury and Opposition benches participated in the debate before the Bill was passed by the Upper House.
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