“Do you want Kashmiris to be thrown in jail?
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has snapped back at ally Congress over its “advice” to the National Conference on the issue of Vande Mataram.
Hitting back at the Congress, Omar Abdullah pointed out that there is a law for the entire country now mandating full rendition of Vande Mataram at official events, adding that non-compliance may lead to action.
“A law has been enacted regarding the national song. All verses of Vande Mataram have become mandatory. This applies not just to Jammu and Kashmir, but to the entire country; this is the protocol for government functions nationwide. The BJP had also hit out at the Congress for its objection to the full Vande Mataram.
Failure to comply will result in action,” Abdullah said. “As a party, we have never adopted Vande Mataram, nor will we do so in the future, but we must comply with legal obligations,” the Chief Minister said. This comes after Congress MP KC Venugopal on September 8 said the full version of Vande Mataram “sits uneasily” with the syncretic and pluralist ethos envisioned by India’s freedom fighters, and urged the party’s allies to respect the version of the national song adopted by the Congress in 1937. BJP MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the party’s objection to singing the full version left no doubt that it had become a new Muslim League of the 21st century. The Congress stands “completely isolated” on this issue, Trivedi said.
Reacting to the suggestion, the National Conference had said that the Congress cannot dictate to alliance partners on the issue.
