Centre Moves to Give Vande Mataram Same Legal Status as National Anthem
A fresh political controversy has erupted after the Centre proposed a Bill to grant Vande Mataram statutory legal protection.
The proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 seeks to give the National Song the same legal protection as the National Anthem. If passed, anyone found insulting, disrupting, or intentionally obstructing the singing of Vande Mataram could face up to three years in jail, a fine, or both.
The move has triggered a sharp political debate. The Congress has opposed the proposal, arguing that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram have official recognition and that insisting on the entire song is inconsistent with India's secular principles.
