Examiner News Desk | Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday criticised alliance partner National Conference (NC) over the singing of the full version of the national song Vande Mataram at the inauguration of the International Film Festival.
In a post on X, Karra said national symbols, songs and traditions occupy a special place in the hearts of Indians, but maintained that their significance is strengthened when they reflect the country’s diversity.
Expressing concern over the rendition, Karra said it was unfortunate that the Congress’s alliance partner had opted to sing the full version of Vande Mataram, which, he argued, did not take into account the evolution of the song’s place in India’s national life after Independence and through the country’s constitutional journey.
According to Karra, the version adopted after Independence sought to strike a balance between preserving the song’s historical and emotional significance and respecting India’s plural character and the constitutional guarantee of freedom of conscience.
“National symbols acquire greater dignity when they accommodate India’s diversity, not when that diversity is asked to accommodate them,” he said.
The JKPCC chief stressed that his objection was not about patriotism, but about how national symbols should be expressed in a diverse constitutional democracy.
“It is about the constitutional temperament with which patriotism in a diverse Republic deserves to be expressed. Our national symbols should make every Indian feel equally at home,” Karra said.
The remarks drew a sharp response from NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, who pointed to a rendition of the full national song at an event in Congress-ruled Karnataka in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
Sharing a video of the rendition on X, Sadiq directly addressed Karra, saying: “Jenab @TariqKarra Sb, please take a look at your congress CM’s and share your valuable thoughts with everyone. Thank you! (sic)”
The exchange comes amid a broader political debate over the protocol governing the national song and the manner in which Vande Mataram should be performed at official and public events.
According to the information provided, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines in January 2026 requiring all six stanzas of Vande Mataram to be played or sung at official events.
The Congress has opposed the mandate and maintained that only the first two stanzas would be sung at party gatherings.
The latest war of words between the Congress and the National Conference highlights the continuing political sensitivity surrounding the national song, particularly within the context of India’s constitutional commitment to pluralism and diversity.
