Government to Criminalize Insult to Vande Mataram

The Indian government is planning to introduce a new law that will make it a crime to insult or disrespect the national song, Vande Mataram.

This law will treat Vande Mataram with the same respect as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

The bill proposes that anyone who prevents the singing of either the national anthem or the national song, or causes disturbance during their singing, could face up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.

The government believes this law is necessary to protect national symbols.

However, some opposition parties, like the CPM, argue that this law could disrupt the balance of the constitution and infringe on personal freedoms.

Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 and was first published in his novel Anandmath in 1882.

It became popular during the Indian freedom struggle and was adopted by the Indian National Congress in 1905 to inspire nationalist sentiment.

While the national anthem has constitutional protections, Vande Mataram does not, but it holds equal status as a national song.