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The Narendra Modi government at the Center is going to take a very historic and big step in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. A special bill will be introduced on the table of the Lok Sabha in the Parliament session starting from July 20, 2026, under which insulting the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ or creating any kind of obstruction during its singing will now become a serious punishable offence. The main objective of the ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026’, which has already received the green signal from the Union Cabinet, is to further strengthen the respect for national symbols in the golden period of independence.
Will get equal status to national anthem and tricolor: Big decision after new guidelines of Home Ministry
After the passage of this proposed law, ‘Vande Mataram’ will get legal protection and status at par with other top symbols of the country like the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, the national flag (tricolor) and the Constitution of India. The move assumes significance following the recent guidelines issued by the Home Ministry, which had clarified that playing or singing the national anthem will be mandatory in all government and official functions where the national anthem is played. BJP argues that due to appeasement politics, the previous governments did not give this most inspiring song of the freedom struggle the official respect it deserved. The special thing is that this bill is coming at a time when the country is celebrating the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’.
Know what is the current law: This punishment is given for insulting the national anthem and the Constitution.
At present, ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971’ is in force in the country to prevent disrespect to national symbols. Under this existing criminal law, if any person knowingly burns, tears, crushes or defaces the National Flag or the Indian Constitution in any public place, he can be punished with imprisonment of up to 3 years, or a heavy fine, or both. Similarly, if any person prevents the singing of the national anthem or creates disruption in any gathering in which the national anthem is being sung, he is also punishable with a jail term of 3 years. Through the new amendment bill, ‘Vande Mataram’ is also being included under the ambit of this law. Further, if a person is caught committing a repeat offense under this law, he will be given a rigorous punishment of mandatory imprisonment of not less than 1 year.
Many more important bills will resonate in the monsoon session of Parliament: Preparations for birth-death registration and amendment in FCRA
According to the official bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, not only the bill related to the national anthem but many other important legislative works have also been listed in this session starting from July 20. The government is going to introduce a new bill with very stringent and transparent provisions against ‘delayed registration’ of births and deaths. Along with this, the ‘Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026’ (FCRA Amendment Bill) to keep an eye on foreign funding has also been re-listed in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing, which could not be passed in the last budget session due to paucity of time.