Does Congress want to jail Kashmiris: Omar Abdullah on Vande Mataram row

SRINAGAR - Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed frustration on Thursday, questioning if Congress wants more Kashmiris to be jailed following a controversy over the rendition of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) inauguration.

The Chief Minister emphasized the statutory obligation to play the full national anthem at government events, threatening legal action against those who do not comply. He accused Congress of politicizing the issue, urging the party to address the matter in Parliament instead of attempting to dictate how it should be played. Omar Abdullah expressed openness to revoking the mandate in Parliament if Congress gains power, stating there would be no objection.

The controversy was sparked when Congress MP K C Venugopal called upon the National Conference to honor the wisdom and judgment of freedom fighters by aligning with the INDIA bloc and singing only the first two stanzas of the national song.