GUWAHATI: The Centre on Friday, July 24 introduced the National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, commonly referred to as the Vande Mataram Bill, in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed legislation aims to extend the same legal protection to the national song Vande Mataram that is currently provided to the National Anthem under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
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Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai tabled the Bill on behalf of Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid continued disruptions in the Upper House, where Opposition members were protesting over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
If enacted, the amendment would bring the singing of Vande Mataram under the ambit of the existing law, granting it legal safeguards similar to those applicable to the National Anthem.
The Bill, however, faced resistance from Opposition parties during its introduction. CPI MPs P Sandosh Kumar and John Brittas objected to the move, with Kumar stating that although he respected Vande Mataram, the legislation was unnecessary. He also alleged that it attempted to create a divide between the legacies of Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The Chair directed him to limit his remarks to the contents of the Bill.
Several Opposition members criticised the proposed legislation, calling it an effort to "manufacture patriotism." They further alleged that the government had introduced the Bill to shift attention away from the ongoing controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination and their demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protests over the alleged examination irregularities entered the fifth consecutive day of the Monsoon Session, with Opposition parties continuing to press for a detailed debate in Parliament and accountability from the Education Minister.
Meanwhile, proceedings in the Lok Sabha were also disrupted as Opposition MPs entered the Well of the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated that the government was willing to hold a discussion on the NEET issue but urged the Opposition not to impose preconditions.
Rijiju also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance that the government would introduce stringent measures to tackle examination paper leaks. He said the proposed legal framework would include provisions for fast-track courts and stricter punishment for those found guilty of such offences.