Watch: The Vande Mataram Bill: symbolism, history and politics

This week, Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, granting India’s national song, Vande Mataram, the same statutory protection as the national anthem. Why has this Bill been passed now?  And why has Vande Mataram considered such a politically controversial song? In this episode of Insight India, Sonikka Loganathan speaks with The Hindu‘s Senior Deputy Editor, Sobhana K. Nair about the history of Vande Mataram, the controversy surrounding its religious imagery, the legal implications of the new law, and whether patriotism can—or should—be enforced through legislation.