President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Vande Mataram Bill

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday gave assent to the Vande Mataram Bill, granting the National Song the same legal protection as the national anthem.

The Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, last month, amending the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The legislation seeks to give Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. With the President’s assent, the bill has become a law. Now, such offences are punishable with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both.

Earlier, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act prohibited intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem (Jana Gana Mana) or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing.

These offences were punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, while a second and every subsequent conviction attracted a minimum of one year’s imprisonment. The erstwhile law did not accord the same protection for the National Song.