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24 Jul 2026POLITY3 questions

Equal Status, Unequal Protection: The Bill That Finally Brings Vande Mataram Into the 1971 Act

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Article summary

The government introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha on 24 July 2026, moved by the Minister of State for Home Affairs amid opposition objection, to bring the National Song Vande Mataram within the protection of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. That Act at present penalises insults to the National Flag and the Constitution under Section 2 and to the National Anthem under Section 3, but omits the National Song, which has rested since 1950 only on a declaration by the President of the Constituent Assembly that it enjoys equal status with Jana Gana Mana. The amendment proposes to add Vande Mataram to Section 3, prohibiting anyone from intentionally preventing its singing or disturbing an assembly engaged in singing it, with the offence carrying up to three years' imprisonment. The Bill comes during the year-long commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.

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recallTests whether you read the article and retained key facts.
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applicationTests whether you can apply the concept to a new scenario.
1Q
analysisTests whether you can reason across multiple related facts.
1Q

Sample questions — answers revealed after test

POLITYRecallEasy

Q1. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, before its 2026 amendment, protected which of the following?

AThe National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem.
BThe National Flag, the National Anthem and the National Song.
COnly the National Flag.
DThe National Anthem and the National Song, but not the National Flag.
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POLITYApplicationMedium

Q2. The amendment penalises intentionally preventing the singing of the National Song or disturbing an assembly engaged in singing it. Why is this framing more likely to survive constitutional scrutiny than a broad offence of 'showing disrespect' would be?

ABecause it compels every citizen to sing the National Song, removing any ambiguity.
BBecause it targets active obstruction, placing it close to a public-order restriction, rather than penalising expression or non-participation, which a vague 'disrespect' offence would risk doing.
CBecause Article 19 does not apply to any law concerning national symbols.
DBecause a broad offence would be valid, but a narrow one is preferred merely for administrative ease.
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POLITYAnalysisHard

Q3. Consider the following statements: 1. Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and appeared in his novel Anandamath. 2. On 24 January 1950 the President of the Constituent Assembly declared that Vande Mataram would have equal status with the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. 3. In Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala (1986), the Supreme Court held that a person could be compelled by law to sing the National Anthem in the interest of national unity. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B1 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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