Vande Mataram full rendition sparks political row at Jammu-Kashmir film festival

A political row erupted after all six verses of Vande Mataram were sung at the opening ceremony of Jammu and Kashmir's first International Film Festival. Chief Minister Umar Abdullah and other senior leaders stood in attention for over three minutes during the rendition.

Congress objected to the full version, arguing that only two verses adopted by freedom fighters should be sung. The party instructed its ally National Conference to respect the vision of freedom fighters. Congress said the complete version conflicts with the syncretic values envisioned by leaders like Gandhi and Nehru.

BJP responded sharply, accusing Congress of becoming the '21st century Muslim League' for opposing the full national song. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over cultural and patriotic expressions in J&K.