Ambedkarite activist BD Borkar has moved the Supreme Court against the Home Ministry’s January 28 and July 9, 2026 orders prescribing the six-stanza Vande Mataram and the 2026 amendment to the national-honour law, arguing that the additional stanzas invoke Hindu deities and that the MHA has no power to change the National Song by executive order.
Hearing Carnatic musician TM Krishna’s challenge to the Centre’s circular on the singing of Vande Mataram and the extension of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act to it, the Supreme Court indicated it would examine the matter to the extent penal consequences are involved, observing that a person who believes that singing it infringes their rights under Articles 25 or 26 cannot be subjected to punishment, and that it is not for courts to declare what the National Song is. A remark by the Solicitor General drew strong objection from the petitioner’s counsel.
The Madras High Court, on Tuesday(19th Nov) led by Justice G. Jayachandran, has prohibited the Madras Music Academy from awarding the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award to TM Krishna, honoring a petition by V. Srinivasan. The court highlighted that any true respect for Subbulakshmi means adhering to her wishes against using her name for awards.
