BJP Attacks Cong for 'Incorrect' Map of India at CWC Meeting

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused the Congress of disrespecting "India's sovereignty" as it hit out at the opposition party for allegedly misrepresenting the Indian map on posters displayed at the Congress convention in Belagavi.

- HT Correspondent

BENGALURU:

The BJP said that the "incorrect depiction" of the Indian map by the Congress was a way to appease its "vote bank" and sought the registration of a police case against the organisers.

"Congress in Karnataka has shown utter disrespect for India's sovereignty by displaying a distorted map at their Belagavi event, portraying Kashmir as part of Pakistan. All this just to appease their vote bank. This is shameful!" the BJP said in a post on X.

The Congress is holding its working committee meeting in Belagavi on Thursday and Friday, to mark the centenary of the 1924 session of the party. As part of its celebrations, the party has put up posters featuring a map of the country alongside images of Mahatma Gandhi, and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

However, Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who also heads the state Congress unit, dismissed the allegations. "Some leaders might have made some mistake. We are removing everything... BJP is there to attack us; they can't digest our success. There is no medicine for jealousy," he said, defending the party's intentions.

Meanwhile, Congress minister Priyank Kharge pointed out that the banners carried a private company's logo and were not commissioned intentionally by the Congress. "Someone has put it up. If we observe, there is a logo of a private company. It might have been an oversight," he said.

According to BJP and its ally Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka, the map featured on the posters omitted the Gilgit region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and the Aksai Chin region which is currently under Chinese administration—both are integral parts of Jammu and Kashmir.