New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by voice vote. The Bill seeking to make any obstruction or insult to the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ a criminal offence was passed after a brief discussion amid uproar by the opposition MPs.
The passage came a day after the Rajya Sabha cleared the legislation.
The legislation faced sharp opposition from the DMK in the Lower House, which accused the government of using it to push a ‘Hindutva’ agenda.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai moved the Bill in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing.
Replying to the discussion in the House, Nityanand Rai asserted that the Union government respects all the states and their linguistic pride, and also asks for the National Song to be sung alongside the National Anthem.
“This Bill is for Indian pride, not against any state and ideology. BJP-NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi government respects state songs. We only ask that when the National Anthem is sung, the National Song be also sung alongside,” he said.
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the government of using the legislation to advance an agenda under the cover of “nationalism”.
“We oppose this Bill. This is a Hindutva agenda which is being brought in masquerading as nationalism. You cannot impose nationalism by bringing a law. This song goes against the secularism of this country.”
She pointed to the decision by previous Indian leaders to adopt only the first two stanzas of the song for official use, arguing that mandating all six verses under threat of criminal prosecution is an attempt to “polarise” the nation.
“The greatest leaders, the founding fathers, had the wisdom to stop only with two stanzas. Today you are trying to polarise this country by making it compulsory and by making it a criminal offence if we don’t sing all six paragraphs,” she said.
Kanimozhi went further, framing the Bill as an affront to Tamil Nadu and other states with their own songs.
“You are disrespecting Tamil people by bringing this bill. This is an insult to Tamil Nadu and many states which have their own song. Why are you dividing this country? You are calling anybody who opposes you as anti-national. This government is anti-national. It is dividing this country by imposing this song on the people of this nation. Don’t try to hide,” she said.
She also objected to the manner in which the Bill was being pushed through, as opposition leaders sloganeered over the Ram Mandir donation row and police action on student protesters.
“You have to listen to the states,” Kanimozhi said, adding that passing the bill amid the prevailing “din” in the House was not the right way to proceed.
The Amendment Bill was introduced in the Upper House on July 24. The Act penalises insults to the national flag, the Constitution of India, and the national anthem and the amendment gives Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem.
With passage in both Houses now complete, the Bill goes to the President for assent before it can take effect. (ANI)
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