The Rajya Sabha has passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a measure linked to the national song Vande Mataram. The bill cleared the Upper House in New Delhi after a brief discussion, according to the available report.
The passage of the Vande Mataram Bill took place amid protests from Opposition members. Their objections were focused not only on the legislation itself but also on the absence of Home Minister Amit Shah during the proceedings.
Opposition parties demanded that Amit Shah make a statement in the House on the use of pellet guns against protesters. When that demand was not met, members staged a walkout, turning the debate around the national honour amendment bill into a broader political confrontation.
Despite the disruption, the House went ahead and approved the bill. The episode underscored how a legislative move tied to Vande Mataram became entangled with a separate but politically charged demand for the government to respond on the pellet gun issue.
