The Lok Sabha ended its Monsoon Session on August 13 after members recited the complete version of Vande Mataram. The performance occurred just before the House was adjourned sine die, closing a period that featured frequent interruptions and tense debates between the ruling side and the Opposition.
Disruptions marked the start of the final sitting as Opposition members shouted slogans and held placards demanding responses from the government. Speaker Om Birla urged members to restore order and requested that all MPs stand for the National Song.
The full 3.10-minute rendition of Vande Mataram followed. Lawmakers from both the Treasury and Opposition benches remained standing, and many joined in the singing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the proceedings.
The complete recitation gained importance after Parliament enacted a law granting Vande Mataram the same legal safeguards as the National Anthem. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, received presidential approval last month. The measure allows penalties of up to three years in prison, a fine, or both for violations.
Home Ministry instructions issued in February already require all six stanzas to be performed at official events under protocols similar to those for the National Anthem.
The Monsoon Session, held from July 20 to August 13, was marked by repeated clashes over multiple issues that reduced time for legislative work. The Opposition had questioned the government’s approach to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, passed last month to curb cheating and paper leaks.
Despite the interruptions, the Lok Sabha approved several measures, including the NEET Amendment Bill and taxation legislation. It also sent recommendations on the FCRA amendment bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The full performance of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, following the new legal protections, provided a notable close to a session otherwise defined by political clashes.
