President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday gave assent to a bill criminalising insults to the national song, Vande Mataram. With the president’s assent, the 2026 Prevention of Insults to National Honour Amendment Bill has become law. The law gives Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Congress of insulting Vande Mataram through “appeasement politics”. The Union government is commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram.