NC-Congress face-off over full rendition of Vande Mataram in J&K

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.