Congress condemns full Vande Mataram rendition as Abdullah leaders stand through all verses

At a public event in Srinagar, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah stood throughout the entire six-stanza rendition of Vande Mataram, prompting a sharp rebuke from Congress. Congress figure K C Venugopal posted a video of the ceremony, arguing that the full version runs counter to the syncretic and pluralist values championed by India's founding leaders. The National Conference clarified that it does not object to individuals singing the anthem but opposes any forced compliance, citing the recent parliamentary law that makes singing and standing a legal obligation.

Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq stated that the Jammu and Kashmir government must fulfill this duty like other states, even though the party never signed the adoption of either the two-stanza or six-stanza versions. The incident highlights a split within the INDIA bloc over how to interpret the anthem's statutory requirements. Venugopal urged allies to respect the judgment of historic figures such as Gandhi, Nehru and Tagore by limiting the rendition to the first two verses.