'Can Respect And Patience Be Legislated?': Shashi Tharoor Slams Vande Mataram Mandate

Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday criticised the Centre over the new requirement to sing the full version of the national song Vande Mataram at the beginning and conclusion of official functions, in addition to the National Anthem.

Tharoor said the move, introduced through an amendment to the law, could end up defeating its stated objective of fostering greater respect for Vande Mataram.

The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram noted that President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was passed by Parliament amid disruptions and without a detailed discussion.

Tharoor said he respects both Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram and can sing the first two stanzas of the national song as well as the entire National Anthem. However, he questioned the practicality of requiring the complete song to be sung at official events.

He pointed out that Jana Gana Mana takes around 52 seconds to sing, while the full Vande Mataram takes approximately three minutes and 10 seconds. Referring to Tamil Nadu's decision to have its State Song sung before both national songs, Tharoor said this could require people to stand respectfully for several minutes at the start and end of every official programme.

He questioned whether respect for national symbols could be enforced through legislation and warned that excessive formalisation could instead lead to impatience and undermine the intended reverence for Vande Mataram.

The amended law gives Vande Mataram statutory protection similar to that enjoyed by the National Anthem. It makes intentional disruption of the singing of the national song or interference with an assembly engaged in singing it a punishable offence.