The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting “immediate and firm” action against the Congress party and its former president Sonia Gandhi for their “sovereignty” comments at a campaign event. Ahead of the Karnataka elections on May 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of openly supporting “separating” Karnataka from India during his final campaign speech.
The BJP accused the Congress of sponsoring separatist organisations or movements like the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) or the “tukde tukde gang” and referred to Mrs. Gandhi’s comment as “unfortunate and inappropriate” in the letter. The BJP also urged the Election Commission to remove the Congress party’s registration because it was clearly behaving in breach of the obligatory oath to protect the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
The complainant, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, called Mrs. Gandhi’s statement “shocking and unacceptable” and asked the EC to punish her severely for making “such a statement.” Karandlaje asked the EC to direct the filing of an official complaint against her and to take exemplary corrective action.
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Jitendra Singh, Tarun Chugh, Anil Baluni, and Om Pathak from the BJP’s central disciplinary committee led the BJP group that met with the Election Commission to deliver the letter.
At a public event in the Mysuru area, PM Modi said that the “disease” of the “tukde-tukde gang” has spread to the top of the Congress. He charged the Congress with frequently engaging in actions that violated India’s sovereignty as well as meeting in secret with hostile foreign diplomats.
Prior to the Karnataka polls, which are set for May 10, the BJP sent a letter. In a contentious campaign, the Congress and the BJP have traded insults over a variety of topics.