President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which criminalises intentional disruption or prevention of the singing of the National Song, Vande Mataram. This move grants Vande Mataram the same legal protection as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 30 and the Rajya Sabha on July 29.
The legislation aims to promote greater respect for the National Song. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor questioned the practicality of mandating the full rendition of Vande Mataram at official functions, citing its duration of around three minutes and 10 seconds. In comparison, Jana Gana Mana takes about 52 seconds to sing.
Tharoor also referred to Tamil Nadu’s decision to precede both songs with the State Song, asking whether audiences could realistically be expected to stand respectfully for nearly six minutes before and after every function. He feared that the legislation’s intended objective might not be achieved and could instead produce the opposite effect. With the President’s assent, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has become a law.
The move to grant Vande Mataram the same status as Jana Gana Mana has been made. The government’s decision to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act has been taken.
