The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill criminalising insults to the national song, Vande Mataram, a day after the Rajya Sabha cleared the legislation.

The bill will now be sent for presidential assent, after which it will become law.

The 2026 Prevention of Insults to National Honour Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha through a voice vote amid protests by Opposition MPs demanding a discussion on police action against youth protesters last week.

The protests were held against the alleged mismanagement in conducting competitive exams.

The bill seeks to provide Vande Mataram with the same statutory protection as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. It states that intentionally preventing the singing of the national song, or disrupting an assembly singing it can be punished with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine or both.

At present, the 1971 Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act provides that insulting the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, the national flag or the Constitution is punishable with up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine or both.

The bill faced opposition from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, with MP Kanimozhi accusing the government of using it to advance a “Hindutva agenda” under the cover of nationalism, ANI reported.

“This song goes against the secularism of this country,” she said, adding that the bill disrespects people from Tamil Nadu.

Responding to the debate, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the legislation was about “Indian pride” and not against any state or ideology, the news agency reported.

He said the government respected state songs and only sought equal recognition for the national song alongside the national anthem.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Congress of insulting Vande Mataram by resorting to appeasement politics.

The Union government is commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram.

A Press Information Bureau note issued on November 6 to mark the 150 years stated that the Constituent Assembly had adopted Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem and Vande Mataram as the national song.

The note quoted Rajendra Prasad, the first president, as having told the Assembly in January 1950 that Vande Mataram, because of its role in the freedom movement, “shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it”.

On January 28, the Union home ministry directed that all six stanzas of the Vande Mataram be sung first when it is played together with the Jana Gana Mana.

Only the first two stanzas of the national song had been played at official functions earlier. The remaining stanzas, which invoke Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, had been omitted.

Written by Anamika Pathak. Edited by Sara Varghese.

Also read: Vande Mataram debate: The novel in which the poem appears is a cry for freedom – but from whom?

We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.