Rajya Sabha passes Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026
New Delhi, July 29
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to make any obstruction or insult to the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ a criminal offence during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till 11:00 am on July 30.
Replying to the discussion on the Bill, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that the amendment is not merely a legislative change but shows the collective commitment to India’s national consciousness, cultural heritage, and the ideals of the freedom struggle.
Rai said that the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act was enacted in 1971 to ensure respect for the National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’. He added that deliberate insults to ‘Vande Mataram’ would now be punishable in the same manner as provided under the existing law.
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. The bill would give Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’.
The Act prohibits intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem (Jana GanaMana), or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing. These offences are punishable with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both. A second and every subsequent conviction is punishable with imprisonment of a minimum of one year. The Bill extends these provisions to the national song (Vande Mataram).
Further, the Amendment Bill, on being passed in the Upper House, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dinesh Sharma slammed the Congress and said the Opposition “can’t openly say that they are not in support of the bill.”
“It has been ensured that there should be no insult to the national song, Vande Mataram. Congress can’t openly say that they are not in support of this (bill), but none of their people came to speak on the bill,” Sharma added.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 after a brief reply by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who took several digs at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he had used unparliamentary language and that he “is even aware of basic parliamentary norms”.
The bill saw a marathon debate which started at 2 pm on Tuesday, and the House sat till 11 pm. It resumed debate on Wednesday. (ANI)