Parliament's Paper Trail: A Bill Passed Amid Turmoil The passage of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has sparked widespread protests and counter protests within India's Parliament.
The bill, which makes insulting Vande Mataram punishable by up to three years' imprisonment, is symptomatic of a larger disease: the growing politicization of national symbols and institutions.
In recent years, governments have increasingly used national pride as a tool to silence opposition parties. The Vande Mataram bill is part of this trend, aimed at conflating patriotism with loyalty to the ruling party.