Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Omar Abdullah Rejects Congress Stand on Vande Mataram
A disagreement has emerged between two political parties over how much of Vande Mataram should be sung at official events.
Congress says only the first two stanzas should be performed.
Omar Abdullah, who leads the Jammu and Kashmir government, says officials must follow the law currently in place.
He said the law makes the prescribed standards for Vande Mataram mandatory when the national anthem is played.
Abdullah said his National Conference party has not adopted the song as a party position.
He also said Congress could change the law through Parliament if it returns to power.
Congress objected after the song was performed in full at a Jammu and Kashmir film festival.
The disagreement has created tension between the two parties, which are allies in the INDIA bloc.
National Conference leaders also said nobody should be forced to sing the song.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said existing law requires prescribed standards for Vande Mataram at official events where the national anthem is played.
Abdullah said the National Conference has not adopted Vande Mataram as a party position but must follow legal requirements at government functions.
Congress objected to the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress maintains that only the first two stanzas should be performed, citing a 1937 working committee resolution.
The disagreement has exposed fresh tensions between the Congress and National Conference, allies in the INDIA bloc.
- Who
- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the National Conference, and the Congress are involved in the dispute.
- What
- The parties disagree over whether the full version or only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be performed at official events.
- When
- The dispute intensified after the song was played in full on Monday at the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Where
- The immediate controversy concerns Jammu and Kashmir; Congress has also taken a similar position in Karnataka.
- Why
- Congress cites a 1937 working committee resolution, while Abdullah says current law requires the prescribed standards to be followed at official functions.
Congress’ Position
National Conference and Omar Abdullah’s Position
Which version should be performed
Congress’ Position
Congress says alliance partners should follow the 1937 working committee resolution requiring only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram.
National Conference and Omar Abdullah’s Position
Omar Abdullah says the existing legal requirements make the prescribed standards for Vande Mataram mandatory when the national anthem is played at official events.
Political versus government obligations
Congress’ Position
Congress objected to the full rendition at the Jammu and Kashmir film festival and has taken a similar position in Karnataka.
National Conference and Omar Abdullah’s Position
The National Conference says its party has never adopted Vande Mataram as a party position, but government officials must comply with statutory and constitutional obligations.
Future changes to the rule
Congress’ Position
Congress opposes the current practice of performing the full version in the cited official-event context.
National Conference and Omar Abdullah’s Position
Abdullah said Congress could revoke or change the provision through Parliament if it returns to power, and the National Conference would not object.
- Central issue
- Performance of Vande Mataram at official events
- Omar Abdullah’s position
- Existing law must be followed by government officials
- Congress’ position
- Only the first two stanzas should be performed
- Event at issue
- International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir
- Political alliance
- Congress and National Conference are INDIA bloc allies
- Jammu and Kashmir Assembly
- Congress has six MLAs in the 90-member Assembly
- Participation
- National Conference leaders said no one should be forced to sing Vande Mataram