India's Parliament has passed a bill that makes insulting the national song 'Vande Mataram' a criminal offence, expanding the scope of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The Lok Sabha cleared the legislation earlier, and the Rajya Sabha approved it after a heated exchange between Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. The existing law already prohibits intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' or causing disturbance to assemblies engaged in singing it. The new bill extends similar protection to 'Vande Mataram', which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and holds equal status as a national symbol. The passage of the bill marks a significant move to safeguard national honour, with supporters arguing it will prevent disrespect to the country's heritage. Critics, however, have raised concerns about potential misuse and the chilling effect on dissent. The bill now awaits presidential assent to become law.