Crime & Law · India
Parliament Passes Bill Criminalizing Insult to Vande Mataram
Parliament has passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making it a criminal offense to insult the national song 'Vande Mataram'. The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha approved the bill, which will be sent to the President for assent. The bill criminalizes insults and obstruction of the national song. Opposition from parties like the DMK was noted, with one MP claiming the song calls for the destruction of Muslims, while another MP's statement about potential jail time for singing a state song before Vande Mataram was disputed.
How outlets across the spectrum covered it
Left 1 · Centre 3 · Right 4 n = 8
- Left (1): National Herald
- Centre (3): Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express, The Times of India
- Right (4): India Today, Republic World, Swarajya, The Commune