NEW DELHI: For the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort during this year’s Independence Day celebrations, the Defence Ministry said.
The celebrations will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will unfurl the National Flag and address the nation from the historic monument in Delhi. The occasion will also commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram.
“Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time,” the ministry said in a statement.
This year’s Independence Day celebrations will focus on ‘Yuva Shakti’, highlighting the role and contributions of India’s young population in the country’s journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The development comes after Parliament recently passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, which extends legal protection to Vande Mataram against acts of insult and gives the national song a legal status similar to that of the national anthem.
The legislation sparked a brief political debate in the Lok Sabha, with the DMK opposing the amendment and alleging that the government was using the national song to “divide” the country.
The BJP defended the legislation, arguing that the amendment would ensure citizens can express their respect for Vande Mataram without obstruction.
