The first international film festival in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a political controversy over Vande Mataram. The event featured all six verses of the national song. During the ceremony, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah stood in attention. They respected the song for around three minutes and ten seconds.
However, Congress objected to the complete version of Vande Mataram. Later, BJP attacked Congress and accused the party of opposing national sentiments.
Congress Raises Objection Over Complete Vande Mataram
The film festival opening ceremony marked a significant moment in Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders performed all six verses of Vande Mataram before senior political figures. Previously, regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir strongly focused on Article 370 issues. Meanwhile, the Union Territory witnessed the complete song performance at the event.
After the video surfaced, Congress raised concerns over the performance. The party advised its alliance partner National Conference on the matter.
Congress said alliance parties should respect freedom fighters’ thoughts and decisions. It suggested singing only those two versions accepted during the freedom movement.
K C Venugopal Questions Full Version Performance
Congress general secretary and MP K C Venugopal reacted after the event video appeared online. He said the complete version did not match India’s pluralistic and harmonious vision. Venugopal referred to several respected freedom fighters while making his point. He appealed to alliance partners to respect their decisions and ideas.
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
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) September 8, 2026
According to Congress, partners should follow the two verses adopted during the independence movement. The party maintained its view about the song’s accepted versions.
BJP Targets Congress After Opposition To Song
Following Congress’s objection, BJP strongly criticised the party. BJP national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi targeted Venugopal’s remarks. Trivedi said Parliament had already approved rules regarding the complete Vande Mataram performance. He claimed Congress’s objection revealed the party’s “real face”. BJP highlighted that National Conference followed constitutional dignity during the ceremony. Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah stood respectfully during the complete song.
वंदे मातरम् के संपूर्ण गायन को लेकर संसद द्वारा पारित नियम के बावजूद कांग्रेस के संगठन महासचिव के सी वेणुगोपाल ने X पर जो आपत्ति की है उसने उसका असली चेहरा सामने ला दिया है।
कांग्रेस के सहयोगी दलों, यहाँ तक कि NCP और नेशनल कॉन्फ्रेंस के नेता भी संपूर्ण वंदे मातरम् के गायन में… pic.twitter.com/ue64cbP4AH— Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi (@SudhanshuTrived) September 8, 2026
BJP Accuses Congress Of Changing Its Political Identity
Sudhanshu Trivedi said Congress alliance partners, including NCP and National Conference leaders, participated in the complete song performance. He questioned why Congress opposed the same practice. Trivedi claimed that except Muslim League, no other ally supported Congress on this issue. Furthermore, Trivedi launched a sharp political attack on Congress. He said Congress had become the “Muslim League of the 21st century”.
He also alleged that Congress lost its “secularism mask” and surrendered before extremist forces. According to him, the party transformed into a new Muslim League.
The Vande Mataram controversy has now turned into a political face-off between BJP and Congress. Congress continues asking allies to respect freedom fighters’ ideas, while BJP links the issue with Congress’s political approach.
