New Delhi: Parliament has approved the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making any act of insulting the national song Vande Mataram a punishable offence. The Lok Sabha passed the legislation on Thursday amid repeated protests from Opposition members, a day after it received approval in the Rajya Sabha.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai introduced the Bill in the Lower House, where proceedings were marked by sloganeering and disruptions. Despite the uproar, the legislation was cleared through a voice vote after a brief discussion.
The debate featured remarks from BJP MP Sambit Patra and DMK MP Kanimozhi, while amendments proposed by DMK leader A Raja were rejected by the House.
Speaking against the Bill, Kanimozhi said the legislation conflicted with the secular spirit of the Constitution and ignored the concerns of several states. She argued that making matters related to Vande Mataram a criminal offence could affect religious sensitivities and increase divisions. The DMK leader also contended that India’s founding leaders had recognised only the first two stanzas of the song for official purposes, whereas the new law, according to her, places emphasis on all six stanzas.
The ruling BJP defended the amendment, saying the objective is to preserve the dignity of national symbols and strengthen respect for the country’s cultural and patriotic heritage.
The Bill’s passage came during a stormy day in the Lok Sabha, with Opposition MPs repeatedly disrupting proceedings and demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged police action against protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Members entered the Well of the House, raised slogans and displayed placards, leading to multiple adjournments and preventing the House from conducting most of its scheduled business.
