Parliament on Thursday passed a bill criminalising insult to national song Vande Mataram amid din after a brief debate as the opposition raised slogans against the donation theft issue at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Explore the 2026 National Honour (Amendment) Bill, addressing protections for Vande Mataram and its implications for Indian nationalism.

The Constituent Assembly deliberately left Vande Mataram out of Article 51A. Parliament's new bill closes that gap by criminalising 'disrespect'.

The Rajya Sabha has passed a Bill to amend the National Honour Act. This amendment brings Vande Mataram under its legal protection. Acts of disrespect towards the national song…

Implementation of the law elevating Vande Mataram to the same status as the national anthem needs not a heavy hand, but a soft touch