Digital Desk, Busted. A program of the Jammu and Kashmir International Film Festival held in Srinagar became the center of political debate over the national song 'Vande Mataram'. Its full version was sung at the ceremony. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah were also present during the program.
Read :- UP is setting new records in the field of education, AI is not a substitute for teachers, but a medium to give a new direction to education: Brajesh Pathak.
The matter heated up when Congress raised questions on the use of the full version of 'Vande Mataram'. Party's organization general secretary KC Venugopal posted the video of the event on social media platform X and appealed to its ally National Conference to support the Congress' stand on the issue.
Venugopal argues that public events should follow the same form that was historically accepted. Congress says that the purpose behind adopting the initial two differences was to prevent any kind of communal dispute from arising over the song.
The full version of Vande Mataram sits uneasily with the syncretic and pluralist ethos that our freedom fighters envisioned and nurtured for India.
For us, the considered judgment of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Acharya… pic.twitter.com/VngmVUmevz
Read :- DISHA Meeting: When Rahul Gandhi took out the phone from his pocket and showed the picture of the bad roads, Yogi's ministers were stunned, the officials had no answer.
— KC Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) September 8, 2026
National Conference made it clear that there should be no attempt to impose decisions.
National Conference also made its stand clear on Congress's objection. Party leader Bashir Ahmed said that joining the alliance does not mean that Congress will decide when and how much 'Vande Mataram' will be sung.
He said that KC Venugopal has every right to express his opinion and post it on social media, but his opinion cannot be imposed on the other party. According to him, this is a matter related to people's choice and the National Conference is not in favor of imposing its choice on anyone.
Read :- Kushwaha, Maurya, Shakya and Saini society will not allow SP's 'Jungle Raj' to come again: Keshav Maurya
BJP said- Congress is the new Muslim League.
As the controversy increased, BJP also attacked Congress. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi made sharp remarks about Congress's stance. He alleged that Congress's objection to the entire 'Vande Mataram' shows its changing political attitude. Trivedi even said that Congress has become the new Muslim League of the 21st century.
In fact, Congress has already made its position clear regarding 'Vande Mataram'. The Congress Working Committee had decided that only the first two stanzas of the six stanzas of the song would be sung in party programs. The decision was taken after an event held at the Congress headquarters on August 15, where a controversy had erupted over the singing of the song. BJP had targeted Congress on this issue and alleged that the party was insulting it by not singing the entire 'Vande Mataram'. Now, after the complete version was sung at the Srinagar Film Festival, differences have come to light between the Congress and its allies on this issue.