Amit Shah Introduces Bill Criminalizing Insults to Vande Mataram

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to introduce the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha on July 20. The legislation seeks to amend the 1971 Act to grant the national song, Vande Mataram, the same statutory protections as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Under the proposed law, intentionally insulting, disrupting, or obstructing the singing of the song would become a criminal offense punishable by up to three years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.

This legislative push follows a July 9 directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs instructing states to play Vande Mataram before the national anthem at official government functions. The Union Cabinet approved the bill after the Bharatiya Janata Party argued that previous secular governments failed to provide the song due recognition by accommodating objections to its Hindu imagery.

The proposal has created a sharp political divide. BJP leaders describe the move as a necessary step to protect an "immortal creation," with some advocating for severe punishment for those who show disrespect. Conversely, opposition leaders from the Congress, CPI(M), and Samajwadi Party have criticized the bill as a frivolous attempt to polarize the electorate. Critics argue that criminalizing conduct related to the song violates constitutional freedoms of speech and conscience, potentially turning a national symbol into an instrument of legal compulsion.