Congress faces backlash over ‘wrong map of India’ at Karnataka event

Belagavi: A political controversy has erupted in Karnataka’s Belagavi after a poster displayed during a Congress event allegedly depicted an incorrect map of India. The poster, intended to commemorate the centenary of the 1924 Congress session, is said to have omitted the Gilgit region of Occupied Kashmir and the Aksai Chin region, both integral parts of India.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Karnataka ally, the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)], have accused the Congress of engaging in “vote bank politics.” BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has demanded legal action, urging police to register a case against the event organizers.

The BJP’s national leadership criticized the Congress, with a spokesperson alleging, “Rahul Gandhi’s love shop is always open to China. They will break the country, as they have done before.”

Responding to the controversy, Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar promised corrective action, stating, “If there is any mistake, the posters will be removed.”

The JD(S) echoed the BJP’s stance, describing the incident as “a serious crime akin to sedition.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the party claimed the Congress had removed Indian territory under the banner of ‘Gandhi Bharat.’

The incident has added fuel to the already charged political atmosphere in the state.