Vande Mataram Row: Congress, National Conference Clash Over Full Six-Stanza Rendition

A fresh disagreement has emerged within the Opposition bloc over Vande Mataram, after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah stood through the complete six-stanza version of the national song at an event in Srinagar.

The incident took place during the inauguration of the International Film Festival on Tuesday and drew criticism from the Congress, which has maintained that its official programmes should feature only the first two stanzas of the song.

Congress Objects To Full Version Of Vande Mataram

Congress leader K C Venugopal shared a video of the Srinagar event and criticised the rendition of the complete song.

Venugopal said the full version did not fit with what he described as India's “syncretic and pluralist ethos”. He also cited the historical decision to adopt the first two stanzas, referring to the views of several freedom movement leaders and Rabindranath Tagore.

The Congress has consistently maintained that its decision to sing only the first two stanzas at party events stems from a 1937 Congress Working Committee resolution.

National Conference Says Government Was Fulfilling Legal Duty

The National Conference pushed back against the Congress criticism, arguing that the Jammu and Kashmir government was merely carrying out an official obligation.

NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said that following legislation passed by Parliament, standing for and singing Vande Mataram had become a statutory duty, irrespective of a party's political or ideological position.

He also pointed to Congress-ruled states, saying they too have participated in events where the complete version of the song was sung.

However, Sadiq clarified that the NC's objection has historically been to forcing people to sing the song.

He further said the party had not signed on to either the two-stanza or six-stanza version as its formal position.

Omar, Farooq Abdullah Stand Through All Six Stanzas

The presence of both Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah standing during the complete rendition has brought the issue into sharper focus within the INDIA bloc.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tarriq Karra also expressed concern, saying national symbols and traditions have an important role in bringing together India's diverse population.

Karra said it was therefore concerning that an alliance partner had chosen to participate in the full rendition of the song.

Why Congress Prefers The First Two Stanzas

The dispute is part of a larger political debate over how Vande Mataram should be performed at official and political events.

Congress leaders have repeatedly referred to the 1937 CWC resolution, under which the party adopted the first two stanzas for its programmes. The decision was linked to concerns surrounding the song's later portions and the need to accommodate India's religious and cultural diversity.

The BJP, meanwhile, has criticised the Congress position, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah accusing the party of pursuing what he described as appeasement politics.

The latest disagreement between the Congress and the National Conference highlights the continuing differences within the Opposition alliance over national symbols, their public rendition and the question of whether participation should be mandatory.