A bill has been introduced for Parliament's consideration that proposes penal consequences, including imprisonment, for insulting Vande Mataram, India's national song. Vande Mataram holds constitutional and historical significance as the national song, distinct from the National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana), though it does not currently enjoy the same statutory protection.
The move extends the logic of existing laws safeguarding national symbols, such as the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which penalises disrespect to the National Flag and Anthem. Such measures raise recurring debates on balancing reverence for national symbols with the fundamental right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a).
For exams, this is relevant to national symbols, Fundamental Duties under Article 51A (respect for the National Flag and Anthem), and the tension between symbolic legislation and civil liberties.