SRINAGAR: The ruling allies, the National Conference (NC) and
Congress, are at loggerheads in Jammu and Kashmir over the full
rendition of Vande Mataram at the J&K Film Festival in the presence of
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his Cabinet ministers and other party
leaders.
A day after Congress general secretary K C Venugopal strongly
criticised the NC, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra on Wednesday
said it was a matter of concern that “our alliance partners (referring
to NC) chose to sing the full version of Vande Mataram, disregarding
the considered evolution of the song’s place in India’s national life,
not merely during the freedom movement, but through the constitutional
journey of the Republic thereafter”.
The adopted version, he said, “represented a conscious balance
preserving the historic and emotional significance while remaining
sensitive to India’s plural ethos and the constitutional guarantee of
freedom of conscience”.
According to Karra, national symbols acquire greater dignity when they
accommodate India’s diversity, rather than asking that diversity to
accommodate them.
“This is not about patriotism. It is about the constitutional
temperament with which patriotism in a diverse Republic deserves to be
expressed,” he said.
The row began after the full version of Vande Mataram was played at
the inauguration of the J&K Film Festival on Monday in the presence of
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his Cabinet ministers and other party
leaders.
Despite Congress’ opposition, the full rendition of Vande Mataram was
again played in the presence of the Chief Minister at the oath-taking
ceremony of the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court in Srinagar on
Wednesday.
Responding to the criticism, NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, who
is considered close to the Chief Minister, said the party had always
maintained a stated position on the issue.
“We have never adopted two stanzas, nor have we ever adopted six
stanzas. We believe that the party is different and the government is
different,” he said.
“When this has been accepted in Parliament, then it becomes a
statutory obligation for the government to respect the song or anthem
of Vande Mataram and that is what we are doing,” he said. “In
Karnataka and Telangana on August 15, the CMs of Congress stood up and
stood up for the song.”
“This is a statutory obligation that has become a law and we have to
follow that law. As far as the party's position is concerned, we
always say that those who want to sing Vande Mataram should sing it.
Those who do not want to sing it, they should not be forced to sing
it,” he added.
Senior Congress leader and MLA Ghulam Ahmed Mir said the debate over
Vande Mataram reflected a larger question about India’s pluralist and
secular traditions.
He said the version adopted by the freedom movement was shaped by the
considered views of several national leaders, with an emphasis on
preserving inclusivity and avoiding communal interpretations.
“The discussion deserves to be approached with respect for that
historical context and India's constitutional values,” he said.
Reacting to Mir’s remarks, Jammu-based NC leader Gagan Bhagat said
that when Vande Mataram was played in Karnataka and Telangana on
August 15, 2026, as per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) protocol, there
had been no objection from the Congress.
“The same protocol is followed in Jammu and Kashmir and suddenly there
is a problem. National protocol cannot change with geography. Do not
mix party politics with respect for the National Song,” he said.
