• Says Issue has been “needlessly politicised”
• Defends Tanvir Sadiq’s remarks, on historical poverty
Srinagar|Sept, 10: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the government was bound by law to follow the prescribed protocol on the rendition of Vande Mataram at official functions, amid a political row over the singing of the full version of the national song at the inauguration of the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK).
Responding to criticism from Congress leaders, Omar said the issue had been unnecessarily politicised and that the government had no discretion to disregard a statutory requirement at official events.
“They should have stopped this in Parliament. But a law has been enacted,” Omar told reporters.
He said the presence of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Acting Chief Justice at an official function meant that the national anthem would be played, along with the national song as required under the prevailing legal framework.
“This is not just for Jammu and Kashmir; it applies to the entire country. In states governed by the Congress, the same will happen at government functions,” he said.
Omar said his party, the National Conference, had not adopted Vande Mataram as a party position and would not do so in the future. However, he said, the government was required to comply with the law.
“When the Congress comes to power, they can revoke this in Parliament. Let them do it, we have no objection. But whatever our legal and statutory obligations are, we have to fulfil them,” he said.
The controversy erupted after the full version of Vande Mataram was sung during the opening ceremony of IFFJK. Congress had criticised the National Conference over the issue, prompting a response from the Chief Minister.
Omar said the same protocol would apply at the festival’s closing ceremony, where a Union minister was scheduled to be present.
The Chief Minister also dismissed the controversy surrounding remarks by National Conference chief spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq about the historical poverty of Kashmiris.
Defending Sadiq, Omar said the remarks were based on historical accounts of poverty and exploitation in Jammu and Kashmir and were not intended as an insult to the people.
He referred to Walter Lawrence’s writings and said several historians had documented the economic hardship faced by people in Kashmir during the period of landlords and other intermediaries.
Omar said senior National Conference leaders had previously spoken about the same historical context.
“This is not Tanvir’s personal opinion; it is a historical fact,” he said, adding that Sadiq’s intention was to highlight the social and economic progress achieved by Kashmiris.
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP and PDP of jointly amplifying the controversy and said neither Sadiq nor the National Conference needed to apologise or issue a clarification.
On the film festival, Omar said the government was looking at ways to create greater opportunities for young people in Jammu and Kashmir to enter the film industry.
He said local youth would be encouraged to undergo training in camera work, production and other technical aspects of filmmaking, while film shoots in J&K could provide them with opportunities to gain practical experience.
The remarks came as the first IFFJK concluded in Srinagar on Thursday after four days of screenings and events involving filmmakers and delegates from India and abroad.
On protests by Kashmiri Pandit employees over accommodation, Omar said the government had provided transit accommodation wherever it was ready and rejected claims that employees were being left without shelter.
He said employees who still required accommodation should approach the administration and identify their specific requirements.
“Wherever transit accommodation is ready, it has been allotted to them,” he said.
On the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi, Omar said the participation of leaders from major member countries and the expansion of the grouping were developments that should be watched.
Asked about the scheduled meeting of the Council of Ministers, the Chief Minister said cabinet meetings were held regularly and that governance would continue irrespective of political controversies.
“The agenda of governance cannot stop,” he said.
