Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Introduce Historical ‘Vande Mataram Bill’ in Rajya Sabha

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New Delhi : The upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to witness a landmark legislative move as Union Home Minister Amit Shah prepares to introduce the highly anticipated ‘Vande Mataram Bill’ in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed legislation aims to extend the identical constitutional, legal, and judicial protections currently enjoyed by the National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ to the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’. By amending the existing Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, the bill seeks to elevate the legal status of the National Song, ensuring it receives the highest degree of institutional reverence across the country.

Under the stringent provisions of the drafted law, any individual found deliberately insulting, disrespecting, or preventing the singing of the National Song will face severe legal repercussions. The act makes such offences punishable with a maximum of three years of imprisonment, a hefty monetary fine, or both. Currently, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act explicitly mandates strict respect only toward the National Anthem, enforcing rules such as standing up during its rendition and prohibiting any acts of disruption. The new amendment will successfully bring ‘Vande Mataram’ under the exact same punitive legal framework.

Despite holding immense historical significance and being intrinsically linked to India’s freedom struggle, ‘Vande Mataram’ had not been granted enforceable legal protection until now. Once the proposed bill is successfully passed by both houses of Parliament, any insult to the National Song will officially become a cognizable criminal offense. This historical correction will place the National Song on equal footing with other supreme national symbols, including the National Flag, the National Anthem, and the Constitution of India.

This decisive legislative push closely follows a significant directive issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on July 9, which mandated all state governments and union territories to play ‘Vande Mataram’ right before ‘Jana Gana Mana’ during official government programmes and public ceremonies. The revolutionary amendment is expected to spark intense and high-profile debates between the treasury benches and opposition parties during the ongoing Monsoon Session.