President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, giving Vande Mataram the same statutory legal protection as the National Anthem and making deliberate insult or disruption during its singing a punishable offence.
The legislation, passed by Parliament last month amid protests and political differences over the move, extends to the National Song the penal provisions that already apply to the National Anthem under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Also Read: Lok Sabha clears Vande Mataram Bill as DMK joins debate, opposes it
The amendment has drawn opposition criticism, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioning the practical implications of requiring the full rendition of Vande Mataram at official functions. He said the move could require audiences to remain standing for several minutes when the National Song, National Anthem and, in some states, a state song are performed.
"Do we really expect audiences to stand still and respectfully for six minutes before and after every function, a total of 12 extra minutes?" Tharoor said in a social media. He also questioned whether "respect and patience" could be legislated, saying the attempt to promote greater respect for Vande Mataram could have the opposite effect.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha last month. The legislation was the first Bill to clear both Houses during the Monsoon Session, which has otherwise been marked by repeated disruptions by Opposition parties seeking a discussion on alleged violence against students.
In the Lok Sabha, the legislation was passed by voice vote amid din, with BJP MP Sambit Patra and DMK MPs Kanimozhi and A Raja taking part in the brief discussion.
Also Read: Shashi Tharoor questions six-minute standing protocol for Vande Mataram, national anthem
Kanimozhi opposed the legislation, describing it as a "Hindutva agenda masquerading as nationalism" and arguing that it violated federalism and secularism. She also alleged that the government was seeking to make all six stanzas of Vande Mataram compulsory, despite only the first two having been accepted by the Constituent Assembly for official purposes.
Patra defended the Bill, saying previous Congress governments had failed to accord Vande Mataram the respect due to it despite recognising it as the National Song.
The legislation does not merely confer symbolic status on Vande Mataram but places it within the statutory framework governing offences against national honour. The government has said the move is intended to give the National Song the same legal protection as Jana Gana Mana.
The political debate over the song has continued beyond Parliament. Tharoor said he respected both Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana, but questioned the practicality of requiring the full version of the National Song at official events. He also pointed to Tamil Nadu's decision to precede both with the state song, which takes another two minutes.
The President's assent means the amendment has now received the final constitutional approval required for it to become law.
