What happened in the Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha passed a Bill that criminalises insulting the national song Vande Mataram. The key point for UPSC is that the legislation links a national-symbol controversy to a criminal-law pathway, where the state can seek prosecution and punishment.
Background and earlier position (how the controversy usually plays out)
Debates around national symbols usually involve two competing claims:
National respect and public order: supporters argue that insulting national symbols hurts national sentiment and can disrupt social harmony.Freedom of expression concerns: critics argue that the idea of “insult” can be broad, so criminal laws can deter legitimate criticism, artistic expression, and dissent even when public disorder is not provoked.
What changed now
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