The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill criminalising insults to the national song, Vande Mataram, a day after the Rajya Sabha cleared the legislation. The bill seeks to provide Vande Mataram with the same statutory protection as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Congress of insulting Vande Mataram by resorting to appeasement politics. The Union government is commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram. Only the first two stanzas of the national song had been played at official functions earlier.