BJP goes after Congress over 'distorted' map at Belagavi meet

Bengaluru: Controversy broke out ahead of the extended meeting of the CWC here on Thursday after a ‘distorted’ map of India was seen on standees in Belagavi, that also had photos of top leaders of the grand old party.

The distorted map excluded Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) from mainland India.

The BJP termed that the Congress is the ‘New Muslim League’ and alleged that the party wanted to break India again.

Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar admitted that there was a mistake and said he ordered the removal of the posters.

Amit Malviya, in charge of BJP’s national IT department, posted on X: “At its Belagavi event, the Congress has put up a distorted map of India on all its hoardings, along with pictures of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, among others, showing Kashmir as part of Pakistan. It can’t be a mistake. It is a statement. It is part of their appeasement politics, which believes Indian Muslims are more loyal to Pakistan than India.”

He alleged that Sonia, as co-president of the George Soros-funded Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation, advocates Kashmiri Independence. It is not a coincidence, but a firm belief of the Congress.

Mocking at the Congress, BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh posted on X: “Mohabbat ki Dukaan of Rahul Gandhi has given away Aksai Chinh and Leh regions to some other country.”

The state BJP alleged that the Congress had shown utter disrespect to India’s sovereignty by displaying a distorted map at its Belagavi event, portraying Kashmir as part of Pakistan.

“All this is just to appease their vote bank. This is shameful!,” it posted on X.

State BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said from the false pretense of ‘Bharat Jodo’ to distorting India’s territorial integrity, Congress has shown it cares for nothing but political theatrics.

“This act of national betrayal demands nothing less than a full and immediate apology to the people of India,” he said.

Vijayendra observed that with the shameless display of India’s map without Kashmir, our nation’s crown, the Congress has not only mocked India’s sovereignty, but also trampled on the very ideals for which Mahatma Gandhi fought until his last breath.

“Is this how the Congress party honours the memory of the Belgaum session and the Father of our Nation - by appeasing separatist forces?” he said.