Srinagar, Sept. 11 -- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hit back at the ally Congress over the Vande Mataram issue, saying standing for all stanzas of the national song at official events is a statutory requirement that cannot be bypassed.

Abdullah was responding to Congress criticism of the National Conference over the singing of the full version of the national song at the inauguration of the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir here.

The chief minister said the issue had been needlessly politicised.

"They (Congress) should have stopped this in Parliament. But, a law has been enacted. Now, in a function where two governors, one lieutenant governor, and the acting chief justice of our high court are present, the nat...