New Law Enforces Protection for National Song Vande Mataram
Legislation to Safeguard National Song
Workers assist in decorating the Red Fort in preparation for the 80th Independence Day. (Photo:PTI)
New Delhi, Aug 11: On Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu approved a new Bill that criminalizes the intentional disruption of the national song Vande Mataram or any interference with gatherings singing it.
This legislation, known as the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has now been enacted into law following its passage in the Lok Sabha on July 30 and in the Rajya Sabha the day before.
The new law extends the protections previously granted to the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act to include Vande Mataram.
Under the current law, anyone who intentionally obstructs the singing of the national anthem or disrupts an assembly engaged in this activity can face imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both. Repeat offenders face a minimum prison sentence of one year.
Previously, Vande Mataram did not have similar legal safeguards.
The Bill emphasizes that there was no specific legal framework to protect the singing of Vande Mataram, which is recognized as the national song. It aims to amend Section 3 of the Act to include Vande Mataram within its scope, making such disruptions punishable.
Additionally, the Bill referenced a statement from Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the president of the Constituent Assembly, made on January 24, 1950, affirming that Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and linked to India's independence movement, should be honored equally alongside the national anthem.
Earlier this year, the Union Home Ministry released a comprehensive protocol for the performance of Vande Mataram, mandating that all six stanzas be sung during official events. This includes occasions such as the arrival of the President, the hoisting of the national flag, and speeches by governors.
The ministry's order, dated January 28, specified that the complete version, lasting three minutes and ten seconds, should be performed at these events, with Vande Mataram being sung before the national anthem.
Furthermore, it instructed that attendees should stand at attention while the national song is performed. Schools are also encouraged to start each day with a communal rendition of Vande Mataram.
For the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from the Red Fort during the Independence Day celebrations, as announced by the Union Home Ministry.