New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The Lok Sabha, on its last working day of the Monsoon Session, was adjourned sine die on Thursday. The adjournment followed the recitation of Vande Mataram in the House, with all Parliamentarians, from Treasury to Opposition benches, standing in respect for the National Song. The House proceedings started on a stormy note, with the Opposition members engaging in sloganeering and holding placards while trying to corner the government over ‘jawab do, jawab do’ chants.Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a brief appeal to maintain order and urged all the members to stand up for the recitation of the National Song.As the 3.10-minute-long National Song was recited, all the MPs stood in rapt attention while some sang along.

What made the moment remarkable was the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the House, a grouse held by the Opposition throughout the stretch of the Monsoon Session, particularly after the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill last month, aimed at tackling widespread cheating and paper leaks.The recitation of the full National Song in the Lower House comes days after the Presidential assent to the Vande Mataram Bill, which brought it on equal footing with the National Anthem.As per the Home Ministry guidelines issued in February this year, the recitation of all six stanzas of the National Song has been made mandatory at all official functions and gatherings, with all protocols to be followed as accorded to the National Anthem.

Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, last month. The legislation gave Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as that of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. After the President's assent, the bill has become law and offences will be punishable with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both.The Lok Sabha proceedings of the Monsoon Session, from July 20 to August 13, remained marred by the Government-Opposition face-off with little legislative business conducted in the House.Among the key legislations cleared by the House were the NEET Amendment Bill, some Taxation bills and the recommendation of the FCRA amendment bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

/IANS