Govt. to move Bill in RS to make insult to the National Song a criminal offence
Government plans statutory protection for the National Song, Vande Mataram, by amending the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971
- The Union government plans to introduce a Bill in the Monsoon Session to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
- The proposed amendment would extend legal protection to Vande Mataram in a manner similar to the protection already available for the National Anthem.
- The Home Ministry had asked States to play or sing Vande Mataram at official events where the National Anthem is rendered.
The Union government plans to introduce a Bill in the Monsoon Session to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and give statutory protection to Vande Mataram. The proposal would make obstruction of, disturbance to, or insult of the singing of the National Song a punishable offence.
The proposal matters because it links a cultural symbol to criminal law and raises a familiar UPSC theme: how the State protects national symbols while remaining within constitutional limits on speech, expression, and public order.
Background and earlier position
UPSC can ask about the legal status of the National Song, the scope of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and the balance between national respect and constitutional freedoms in a criminal law framework.
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