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Government Moves Bill to Amend 1971 Act: Insult to Vande Mataram Now Criminal Offence

PolityCulture & HistoryCORE
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
19 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:July 20, 20261971 ActSection 3up to three years imprisonmentRajendra Prasad statement 24 Jan 1950
Bodies:Rajya SabhaLok SabhaConstituent Assembly
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What This Article Covers

1.The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on July 20, 2026 to criminalise insult to Vande Mataram.

2.The amendment adds Vande Mataram to Section 3 of the 1971 Act, which already penalises disrespect to the National Flag, Constitution, and National Anthem.

3.Opposition MP John Brittas opposed the Bill, arguing it departs from the constitutional settlement as Rajendra Prasad's statement was not a formal decision of the Constituent Assembly.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The government has introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Rajya Sabha to make insult or obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a criminal offence, punishable with up to three years imprisonment. This amendment extends the same statutory protection currently given to the National Anthem to the National Song, based on Rajendra Prasad's 1950 Constituent Assembly statement. For exam aspirants, this is a key Polity and History linkage on national symbols, constitutional evolution, and the 1971 Act.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Bill NamePrevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Date of IntroductionJuly 20, 2026 (Monsoon Session)
Existing ActPrevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971
Penalty Under ActImprisonment up to 3 years
Key Constitutional ReferenceRajendra Prasad's statement in Constituent Assembly on Jan 24, 1950

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Bill Name: Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026
  • ›Date of Introduction: July 20, 2026 (Monsoon Session)
  • ›Target this Data: July 20, 2026 – date of introduction of the Bill in Rajya Sabha
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Rajya Sabha – where the Bill was introduced
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 – being amended to include Vande Mataram

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which Act is being amended by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026:

1. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 20, 2026.

2. The existing Act already covers the National Song Vande Mataram under Section 3.

3. The Bill seeks to make intentional prevention of singing the National Song a punishable offence.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

On which date was the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 introduced in Parliament?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary constitutional argument raised by CPI(M) MP John Brittas against the Bill?

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