In a first, Vande Mataram, the National Song, was played in full during the 80th Independence Day celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort. It was followed by the customary ‘ Jana Gana Mana ‘, the National Anthem.
The full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was recently accorded the same legal protection as the National Anthem and was played ahead of and at the conclusion of President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation on the eve of the 80th Independence Day on Friday. Under the amended law, deliberate disruption or prevention of the singing of the national song will attract penalties, including imprisonment, a fine, or both. The development comes days after the President gave assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, granting ‘Vande Mataram’ the same legal protection as the national anthem.
“It is for the first time after Independence that ‘Vande Mataram’ was played at the Red Fort,” PM Modi said, addressing the nation. During the Swadeshi Movement, the song Vande Mataram became a song of the masses,” the Presdient said in her address.
