Congress, CPI react as Omar and Farooq Abdullah stand for all six stanzas of Vande Mataram

The Congress and CPI reiterated their respective positions on Vande Mataram after Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah stood through all six stanzas at an event in Srinagar. The BJP praised the Abdullahs, while the episode highlighted differences within the INDIA Bloc

New Delhi: The Congress and CPI on Wednesday said they hoped other parties, including their allies, would follow the practice of singing the two designated stanzas of Vande Mataram, while the BJP praised Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for standing through the full rendition of the national song.

The remarks came after Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah stood through the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the inaugural International Film Festival in Srinagar. The Abdullahs stood through all six stanzas of the song, highlighting differences within the INDIA Bloc over the issue.

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Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Pawan Khera said, “Our General Secretary (Organisation) issued a detailed statement on this yesterday. Wherever we are in government, our governments sing the same two stanzas of Vande Mataram that were decided by our freedom fighters at that time.”

“We hope others will also follow this, including our allies, because these two stanzas work to unite the country,” he added.

CPI Rajya Sabha MP, P. Santosh, said every political party has the right to take its own stand on the issue.

“Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah are seasoned and well-known politicians, and they have every right to take their own position. The CPI has a different view, and different political parties may have different opinions,” he said.

However, Santosh said there should be no controversy over Vande Mataram and that attempts to unnecessarily escalate the issue were not appropriate.

“We should discuss many other issues as well, rather than focussing only on Vande Mataram,” he said.

JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said everyone should respect each other’s views and opinions.

“Every political party has the right to move forward according to its own views and thinking. Congress has its own views, and the National Conference has its own views,” he said.

Pandey also criticised the BJP over the controversy, saying the issue was being misleadingly presented.

Bihar Minister Dilip Jaiswal, however, attacked the Congress, saying the entire country was watching its opposition to the issue.

“From the very beginning, Congress has torn apart the ideology and heritage of this country. And today, when it comes to the national song, Congress is either engaged in appeasement politics or, I don’t know whom it wants to please, and is behaving in this manner,” he claimed.

Jaiswal said the national song and national anthem should always be respected.

BJP chief spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo also praised Omar and Farooq Abdullah for standing through the full rendition.

“As far as Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah are concerned, we may have differences on policy matters, but we salute both of them. Both of them respected Vande Mataram. They respected the new decision taken by the Central Government and stood for all six stanzas. Congress should learn from this. Even NCP is saying that it does not agree with singing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram. And Congress’ general secretary is still saying that they will not sing more than two stanzas. So, will the country be run according to what the Congress says? This country is run by law and the Constitution,” he told IANS.