(IANS/Sansad TV Photo)New Delhi, July 29 (IANS): The Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, on Wednesday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The legislation makes the intentional insult of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ or deliberate obstruction of its rendition a punishable offence. With this amendment, ‘Vande Mataram’ now receives the same legal protection already extended to the National Flag, the Constitution and the National Anthem under the 1971 Act. The order specifies that “when the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” and that it must be rendered while standing at attention. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, expands the scope of this existing Act to bring the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ under the same legal protection.