New Delhi: The Indian government is gearing up to introduce a bill for insulting or obstructing the singing of Vande Mataram, India’s national song. If the new bill is passed one can face up to three years in Jail for insulting or obstructing the singing of Vande Matram. The Prevention of Insults to National Honors (Amendment) Bill, once passed, will give Vande Mataram the same legal protection as the national anthem, the tricolour, and the Indian constitution.
The bill will amend the 1971 law which says preventing or causing disturbance during the rendition of the national anthem attracts a prison term of up to three years.
BJP’s Push Toward Vande Matram and Nehru Factor
The Narendra Modi government recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and over the past few months, the government has increasingly promoted the national song.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah ordered to states in February to play Vande Mataram at all the official events where National Anthem is played.
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The government even directed the states that wherever National Anthem and National Song both is played, National song will be played first and the authorities need to sing all the six stanzas of the National Song.
The order to sing all the six stanzas is to counter the former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru’s decision. In 1937, the Congress led by Nehru decided to sing only two stanzas due to the objection by the Muslim intellectuals as the later stanzas describe Hindu goddesses.
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