Vande Mataram Bill Passed in Parliament

The Vande Mataram Bill has been passed in both houses of Parliament. Amid protests by the opposition, it was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday by a voice vote. A lengthy debate had also taken place in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, after which it was approved. With its passage in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, the bill has now received approval from both houses.

The bill was introduced to ensure that insulting Vande Mataram or intentionally disrupting anyone while they are singing it is treated as a severe crime under the law.

Currently, the law mandates a maximum sentence of up to 3 years in prison for insulting national symbols such as the Constitution, the National Flag, and the National Anthem. Once this amendment comes into effect, the same punishment will apply to anyone who disrespects, blocks, or interrupts during the singing of Vande Mataram. Offenders may face up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.

As part of the Vande Mataram Bill, the Central Government proposed key amendments to the historic ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’. The Centre clarified that the primary objective of this bill is to extend the same high level of legal protection to the national song, Vande Mataram, as is currently granted to India’s national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’.