SRINAGAR: National Conference fired a political broadside at ally Congress Wednesday, defending full renditions of Vande Mataram at govt functions in J&K as a “constitutional” duty.Congress objected after all six stanzas of the national song was played at the inauguration of J&K’s first international film festival in Srinagar attended by CM Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah on Sept 7. As at other official functions, Omar stood at attention throughout.J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra said NC and Congress should respect how the song’s place in India’s national life evolved through both the freedom movement and constitutional journey. “National symbols, songs and traditions occupy a special place in the heart of every Indian. Their true strength lies in their ability to bind together a nation as diverse as ours,” he said, calling it a concern that alliance partners had chosen to sing the full version.NC countered, asking Congress to look at CMs of states governed by the party, including Telangana and Karnataka, who have participated in full renditions.NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq shared on X a video featuring Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar at an event where the unabridged song was sung. He said govt protocol must be separated from party ideology. “NC has a clear stand. When Parliament has adopted it, playing Vande Mataram becomes a statutory obligation and that is what govt did,” Sadiq said.

CM Omar later shared Sadiq’s statements on X.A Union home ministry protocol directive in Feb mandated the six-stanza version of the song at all state functions, official events and legislature sessions. In Aug, the President cleared Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, which puts Vande Mataram on a par with the national anthem, making disrespect/disruption a punishable offence. The amended law did not change the stanzas, but people are now obligated to respect Vande Mataram as a constitutional duty.NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said: “This is a constitutional obligation, and every one holding a constitutional office has to accept it, whether it is the CM, an MP or anyone else,” he said, adding the full version is now regularly played at govt functions across J&K.

Dar acknowledged the objection among Muslims. “Though religiously it is not acceptable to Muslims, it is a constitutional obligation that has to be fulfilled,” he said.The freedom movement broadly adopted first two stanzas of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1875 poem, while the full song has six containing religious imagery that has drawn objections from Muslims. Congress general secretary GA Mir said freedom fighters had shaped the version used by the movement with inclusivity in mind.(inputs from PTI)