Shashi Tharoor raised questions on Vande Mataram amendment, asked- Will you stand for 12 minutes?

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has raised questions regarding 'Vande Mataram Amendment'. After the approval of the President, it will now be mandatory to sing the entire national song 'Vande Mataram' along with the national anthem at the beginning and end of every government program.

Shashi Tharoor said in a post on social media platform

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote that he respects both of them very much and can sing the first two verses but the remaining four verses were never mandatory till now. He drew attention to a practical problem.

He wrote, “During Jana Gana Mana, the audience is expected to stand respectfully and concentrate for the full 52 seconds. The national anthem takes 3 minutes and 10 seconds to sing in its entirety. Tamil Nadu has recently decided that the state anthem will be sung in the Tamil language before these two, which will take another 2 minutes.

Do we really expect the audience to stand respectfully and without moving for six minutes before and after each program (that's a total of 12 additional minutes)? “Can respect and patience be enforced through law?”

Shashi Tharoor said, “I fear that the purpose of this bill to increase respect for the national anthem will not be achieved, but may even be the opposite.”

Let us tell you that the Parliament has passed the 'Prevention of Insults to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026'. This amendment provides legal protection to the national song of India 'Vande Mataram' and gives it equal status to the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' under the 'Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act, 1971'.

Under the new rule, now apart from the national anthem, the entire 'Vande Mataram' will have to be sung at the beginning and end of any government function. Tamil Nadu has already decided that a 2-minute state song will also be sung before these two.