NEW DELHI: Anyone who prevents or disrupts the singing of Vande Mataram, which must now be sung in full at all state events and civil investiture ceremonies, could face up to three years in jail, a fine, or both under a Bill the govt plans to introduce in Parliament’s Monsoon session starting Monday.The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes to amend Section 3 of the relevant Act, which at present deals only with insults to the National Anthem, to add the national song to its ambit.“Whoever, intentionally, prevents the singing of the national anthem or the national song; or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both,” states Section 3 of the proposed bill.Where a person has already been convicted, every subsequent offence shall be punishable with a minimum jail term of one year.The statement of objects and reasons for 2026 amendment bill cites the Jan 24, 1950, meeting of the Constituent Assembly, where its president Rajendra Prasad had stated that Vande Mataram, “which played a historic role in the Indian freedom struggle, shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and shall have equal status with it”.“Presently, there is no specific legal provision to prevent insults to the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’,” the statement points out while justifying the need for penal provision.
