Iltija Mufti, daughter of former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, has ignited a controversy by stating she will not recite 'Vande Mataram,' citing concerns over free speech in Jammu and Kashmir. Her remarks followed a police inquiry into a cricketer wearing a helmet with a Palestine flag. Mufti defended expressions of solidarity with Palestine, deeming the official response excessive and politically motivated, and questioned the extent of free expression in the region.