BJP Accuses Congress of Displaying “Distorted” Map of India, Points Fingers at its “Foreign Friends”

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Dec 26: From clashes between Members of Parliament over alleged “insult” to the framer of the constitution Babasaheb Ambedkar last week to the alleged distorted map of India, the BJP and the Congress have embarked upon a new ground for squabbles on Thursday.

The BJP has alleged that the Congress ahead of their session at Belagavi in Karnataka has put up welcome banners with a distorted map of India and accused the Grand Old Party of acting at the behest of its “foreign friends” who want disintegration of the country and asked if it was following a “signal” from anti-India forces such as US-based billionaire investor George Soros.

The BJP’s Karnataka unit posted a photo of the poster with the “distorted” map on X, and slammed the Congress for showing “utter disrespect (to) India’s sovereignty… by portraying Kashmir as part of Pakistan”. “All of this just to appease their vote bank. This is shameful!” the BJP’s post raged.

The BJP and its NDA ally Janata Dal (Secular) have claimed that the map of India featured on these posters omits the Gilgit region of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Chinese-occupied Aksai Chin, both integral parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

“@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 Karnataka BJP posted on X, along with pictures. There was no immediate reaction from the Congress on the BJP’s charge.

“Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin appear to be missing from the map used by the Congress. The important thing is that it [the map] has been used with Mahatma Gandhi’s picture,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

He alleged that this is not the first time that the Congress has used a distorted map of India. It has done so several times in the past, he charged. “Why is India’s map being shown after removing different parts of the country? Is it just a coincidence or part of a systematic anti-India experiment? At whose behest is this happening?” Mr Trivedi asked.

He said, “Is there a signal coming from some Soros secret service or from other anti-India forces based abroad with whom you always get along well?” The BJP leader alleged that the Congress’s “nexus” with such forces that dream of disintegrating India has become “absolutely clear”, with the party using a “distorted” map of the country.

“I want to assure everyone that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is alert about all such forces. We are fully confident that the people of the country are equally alert and keeping an eye on such forces,” Mr Trivedi said, adding that such elements will never succeed in achieving their goal. “No anti-India force can halt the country’s progress and growing strength,” he asserted.

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 of 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.

The JD(S) 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 response was swift. The BJP was accused of lying and trying to derail a “historic” meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which will hold an extended session in Belagavi on Thursday and Friday to mark 100 years since Mahatma Gandhi chaired a meeting of the committee at this venue.

The row that began with the Karnataka BJP’s X post was picked up by senior party leader Shehzad Poonawalla, who fired a stinging attack, declaring the “distorted” map underscored the “Bharat todo, tukde-tukde” mindset of Congress and doubling down on earlier attacks on the rival party.

“Rahul Gandhi stood with (United States lawmaker) Ilhan Omar who wants Kashmir to be part of Pakistan (and) Sonia Gandhi (was) co-president of an organisation that says Kashmir should be given to Pakistan,” he said. The latter swipe referred to the Soros issue that roiled this Parliament session.

The BJP has made repeated reference to the report by French publication Mediapart which alleged “hidden” links between the Soros-founded  Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), and the US government. It accused the Congress of working with Soros and the OCCRP to defame India.

Picking up that thread again today, Mr Poonawalla said, “Singing to Pak’s tunes and handing over J&K to Pakistan has been the agenda of the Congress… and today that mindset has been exposed again.”

The BJP’s Amit Malviya also weighed in; “It is part of the Congress’ appeasement politics, which believes Indian Muslims are more loyal to Pakistan … The Congress is the New Muslim League.” The BJP’s CR Kesavan, meanwhile, hit out at the Congress over its centenary celebration plans, calling this week’s CWC session is a “monumental mockery of the principles of Mahatma Gandhi.”

Congress leader Srinivas BV responded fiercely, saying, “This controversy has been created by the BJP and RSS (the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ruling party’s ideological mentor). They have a problem with this celebration of 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi taking over as President of the All India Congress Committee… and taking historic decisions to bring reform. They are spreading lies.”

The party, according to some media reports, also sought to distance itself from the posters and the criticism by saying the former had not been sanctioned. “These are not official banners of the Congress… they were put out by some followers…” the party’s state leader, Nagaraj Yadav, said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, also the state party chief, said the posters would be removed if there was a 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 said.

The Congress’ top leaders, including party boss Mallikarjun Kharge and MPs Rahul Gandhi, are expected to attend the Belagavi CWC session. Sonia Gandhi is likely to skip the meeting due to ill health, sources said, adding Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would remain with her either way.