J&K Alliance Strains as Congress, NC Clash Over Vande Mataram Rendition
Congress and NC trade barbs after Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah stood for all stanzas of Vande Mataram at a Srinagar film festival.
A political rift has emerged within the ruling alliance in Jammu & Kashmir after senior National Conference (NC) leaders stood for the full rendition of Vande Mataram at an official function. The incident occurred during the inauguration of the International Film Festival Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) in Srinagar on September 7.
Jammu & Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra expressed concern over the decision by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah to honour all stanzas of the song. In a social media post, Karra argued that the version of the song adopted during India's constitutional evolution represented a deliberate balance, and that disregarding this choice was a matter of concern.
Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal also weighed in, sharing footage of the ceremony. He stated that the full version of the song sits uneasily with the syncretic and pluralist ethos envisioned by freedom fighters. Venugopal asserted that the judgment of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Maulana Azad remains paramount, and urged allies to honour that wisdom to prevent the song from being communalised.
The criticism drew a sharp response from NC leaders. Legislator Tanvir Sadiq shared videos of swearing-in ceremonies in Congress-ruled states, questioning the party's stance. NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar clarified that while the party does not advocate for either version of the song, standing for it is a constitutional obligation for office holders. He pointed out that chief ministers in Karnataka and Telangana also stand for all six stanzas, adding that the NC does not wish to turn the matter into a controversy.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the NC, accusing it of aligning with the BJP on key issues despite its alliance with the Congress. PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra alleged that the NC had failed to take a stand on matters like the Waqf amendment bill and had accepted the addition of Vande Mataram.