New Delhi, July 30: Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid on Thursday opposed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, during its passage in the Lok Sabha, arguing that nationalism cannot be enforced through legislation.
Amid repeated disruptions in the House, Rashid entered the Well of the Lok Sabha while raising objections to the Bill, which provides statutory protection to Vande Mataram and proposes imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both, for intentionally preventing or disrupting its rendition.
Speaking amid the uproar, Rashid said nationalism should emerge from people’s sentiments rather than being imposed through legal provisions.
“Nationalism should inspire people, not be entrusted upon them or imposed through laws,” he said.
The Baramulla MP alleged that “enforced nationalism” had affected the culture, language and identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We in Jammu and Kashmir have faced the taste of your enforced nationalism. Under the banner of nationalism, there has been an assault on our culture, our language and our identity,” he said.
Rashid alleged that changes in educational policies, school syllabi and restrictions on libraries in universities and colleges were part of attempts to reshape the region’s cultural landscape.
He questioned whether such measures aligned with India’s constitutional values of diversity and pluralism.
The MP also criticised the BJP, alleging that nationalism was being used to promote a broader ideological agenda. He said regional cultural symbols, including Jammu and Kashmir’s erstwhile state song “Lehraiye Kashmir Ke Jande”, should also be given respect.
The Bill was passed amid continued Opposition protests in Parliament, with members raising slogans and entering the Well of the House over various issues during the proceedings.
