A controversy has erupted over the alleged misrepresentation of the India map on the posters displayed by the Congress to commemorate the centenary of 1924 Congress session in Karnataka's Belagavi, with the BJP dubbing it as "vote bank" politics by the national party.
The ruling Congress has put up these posters throughout Belagavi town as part of celebrations for the centenary event.
According to BJP and its ally JD(S) in Karnataka, the Indian map featured on the posters omits the Gilgit region of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir as well as the Aksai Chin region, currently under the Chinese administration, which are integral parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reacting to the controversy, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress Karnataka unit president, said the posters would be removed if there is any mistake.
"Some leaders might have made some mistake, we are removing everything. Don't try to pick a small stone in the curd... We have done according to Indian tradition and values of those days... BJP is there to attack us, they can't digest. There is no medicine for jealousy. Let them do what they want..." he told reporters in Belagavi.
The national unit of BJP strongly criticised the Congress.
In a post on ‘X’ it said, “RaGa's Mohabbat ki Dukaan is always open for China! They would break the nation. They've done it once. They'll do it again.” The BJP Karnataka unit termed the "incorrect depiction" of the Indian map as a way to appease its "vote bank".
“@INCKarnataka, 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 party posted on ‘X’.
Hitting out at the Congress, BJP’s Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal demanded that the police register a case against the organisers.
“The publication of an incorrect map of India not only constitutes a breach of Geospatial information standards but also violates the law,” Yatnal said in a post on ‘X’.
According to him, under section 74 of the IPC, displaying a wrong map of India is a clear offence. It is also a violation under the National Honour Act.
“This is the way how the Congress celebrates its historic CWC session by distorting the map of India, not showing PoK as part of Indian territory. Shame on @INCKarnataka.” “I appeal to the @SPBelagavi to register a case against the organizers for wrongfully depicting the map of India immediately,” he said.
Targetting the Congress over the issue, the JDS in a post on 'X' said, “The Italian Congress has omitted the territory of Kashmir from the map of India drawn in Belgaum under the name ‘Gandhi Bharat’. Distorting and altering the map of India is a serious criminal act, like treason.” The party held Shivakumar responsible for it.
"Kashmir is an integral part of India, but the Congress’ anti-national mentality of expressing support for Pakistan by playing politics of appeasement for votes is now getting wide spread all over the country through banners," it said.
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