Vande Mataram (Art, Culture & Heritage of India)
Vande Mataram (Art, Culture & Heritage of India)
Why In News:
The Indian Express reported on a new legislative move aimed at giving Vande Mataram, India's National Song, a legal and ceremonial status closer to that enjoyed by Jana Gana Mana, the National Anthem, reviving a long-standing constitutional and cultural debate.
Source: The Indian Express, Page 14, 22 July 2026, 'How a new law aims to place Vande Mataram on a par with Jana Gana Mana'
Background
Origin of Vande Mataram: Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
It became a rallying cry during the freedom struggle, particularly after being sung at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
Constituent Assembly resolution: On 24 January 1950, the President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr Rajendra Prasad, made a statement according Vande Mataram equal status with Jana Gana Mana, but this was a statement of intent rather than a constitutional provision, since neither song is explicitly named in the Constitution's text.
Constitutional and Legal Position
Jana Gana Mana: Composed by Rabindranath Tagore, it was formally adopted as the National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950, the same day as the Vande Mataram resolution.
Its playing is governed by specific protocol under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Absence of a National Song statute: Unlike the National Anthem, there is no dedicated law or explicit constitutional article that governs the status, protocol, or manner of rendition of the National Song, leaving Vande Mataram's legal position comparatively informal.
Key Facts for Prelims
Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971: This Act penalises insults to the National Flag, the Constitution, and the National Anthem, but does not extend the same statutory protection to the National Song, a gap that any new law would need to address.
Fundamental duties: Article 51A(a) of the Constitution obliges every citizen to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, including the National Flag and the National Anthem, forming the broader constitutional context for such debates.