The Union government is preparing to introduce a new amendment bill in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to make obstructing or insulting the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ a punishable offence. The proposed move is expected to provide for imprisonment of up to three years.
‘Vande Mataram’, composed by Bengali poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, played a key role during India’s freedom struggle and was adopted as the national song by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. The BJP has repeatedly alleged that earlier Congress governments sidelined the song.
Earlier this year, marking 150 years since the song was written, the Union Home Ministry directed that it be sung at government functions, with specific emphasis on rendering the full song. However, confusion persisted over whether it should be sung at the beginning or end of events, prompting the ministry to issue a circular to states and Union Territories.
The circular advised that at government programmes, ‘Vande Mataram’ and the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ should be sung both at the start and at the conclusion, with ‘Vande Mataram’ preceding the anthem. Building on this, the Centre now plans to bring ‘Vande Mataram’ under the list of legally protected national symbols through amendments to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour law.
If passed by both Houses, the bill would treat actions such as causing disruption, showing disrespect, refusing to sing, or singing only selected lines while omitting parts of the song as offences, with punishment reportedly extending up to three years’ imprisonment. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also criticised the Congress, alleging it opposed granting ‘Vande Mataram’ status on par with the national flag and anthem.
