Politics
Congress-National Conference Rift Deepens Over Full Rendition of Vande Mataram in Srinagar
A political disagreement has emerged between the Congress party and its ally, the National Conference (NC), after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah stood for the entire six-stanza version of the national song 'Vande Mataram' at the inaugural event of the International Film Festival in Srinagar on Tuesday.
The gesture drew criticism from Congress leaders, exposing differences within the INDIA bloc. Congress leader K C Venugopal shared a video of the event on social media, stating that the complete version of Vande Mataram 'sits uneasily with the syncretic and pluralist ethos that our freedom fighters envisioned and nurtured for India.' He called on allies to respect the decision made by the country's freedom fighters to adopt only the first two stanzas of the song.
Venugopal referenced the views of leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Acharya Narendra Dev, Maulana Azad, Sarojini Naidu, and J B Kripalani, noting that their stance was significantly influenced by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's counsel.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tarriq Karra also voiced concern, saying national symbols and songs hold special significance for Indians and that their unifying power depends on shared reverence. He said it was concerning that alliance partners opted to sing the full version.
In response, National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq defended the state government's action, explaining that following legislative enactment by Parliament, standing for Vande Mataram has become a statutory obligation applicable regardless of any party's ideological stance. He noted that the Jammu and Kashmir government was simply fulfilling this official duty, just as Congress-ruled states have done by singing all six stanzas at state functions despite the party's own position.
Sadiq clarified that the National Conference does not oppose those wishing to sing the anthem, but has historically opposed compelling people to do so. He added that the party has never been a signatory to either the two-stanza or six-stanza version of Vande Mataram.
The episode adds to an ongoing political debate over the song. The Congress has consistently maintained that it will only sing the first two stanzas at its official functions, citing a 1937 resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously criticized the Congress over this stance, accusing the party of engaging in appeasement politics.