Election Commission's notice to Congress chief on Sonia Gandhi's 'Karnataka sovereignty' remark

The ECI notice comes shortly after the BJP intensified its attack on the Congress over its use of the term "sovereignty" for Karnataka as it moved the Election Commission seeking action against Sonia Gandhi, to whom the opposition party had attributed the remark and her party's derecognition.

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has written to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to clarify and rectify the social media on "Karnataka's sovereignty" which the party attributed to Sonia Gandhi.

The ECI notice came shortly after the BJP intensified its attack on the Congress over its use of the term "sovereignty" for Karnataka as it moved the Election Commission seeking action against Sonia Gandhi, to whom the opposition party had attributed the remark and her party's derecognition. The party also demanded an FIR against her.

The poll panel in a different letter to the incumbent BJP government "issued a notice to BJP President, Karnataka for publishing an advertisement in The Hindu with unsubstantiated claims as alleged by INC." The statement from the poll panel also read that "BJP has been asked to show reasons and provide verifiable and traceable facts by 2000 hrs of May 9, 2023 for the claims cited in the advertisement and explain why action shouldn't be initiated against them for violating the MCC and relevant legal provisions under R P Act and IPC."

Polling to elect 224 members of the Karnataka assembly will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. Earlier in the day, a BJP delegation headed by Union minister Bhupender Yadav submitted a memorandum to the poll panel in Delhi over the issue. "Karnataka is a very important member state in the Union of India and any call to protect the sovereignty of a member state of the Union of India amounts to a call for secession and is fraught with perilous and pernicious consequences," the party said.

Speaking to reporters, party leader Tarun Chugh, who was part of the delegation besides BJP MP Anil Baluni and leader Om Pathak, cited the Representation of the People Act and said the Congress party should be derecognised. The BJP also submitted a copy of the Congress tweet quoting Gandhi, the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson, on the issue.

The opposition party had tweeted, "CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas: 'The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's reputation, sovereignty or integrity'." Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue in his public meetings on Sunday to launch a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the party of openly advocating for "separating" Karnataka from India. Modi alleged that the disease of the "tukde-tukde gang" (anti-national elements) has reached the Congress' top level.

Hitting back, Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala claimed that the desperation of the prime minister and BJP is glaring as "they seek to clutch at straws for want of a narrative in Karnataka". "We reject the fakery and falsehood being perpetuated by the prime minister as he refuses to answer a single question on why BJP is denigrating the 'swabhimaan' (pride) of Karnataka," he said.

Citing the Congress tweets, the BJP in its memorandum to the poll watchdog alleged that such a comment is well-considered "evil design" to provoke the staunch nationalists, peace loving, progressive and globally recognised people of Karnataka. The intent apparently is to be disturb the equanimity, harmony and peace to garner votes and support some select communities or groups, whose sole purpose and intent is to disrupt the very being of the Indian state, it claimed.

"The general and emerging impressions of Indian National Congress, amongst common people, is one of a party that always sides with forces that are inimical and opposed to the Indian state," it said. The BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission in Bengaluru as well and requested it to issue direction for registration of an FIR against her over the use of the word "sovereignty".

Noting that a "sovereign" by definition is an independent nation, the complaint said, "When a country becomes independent, that country is called a sovereign country. India is a sovereign country and the state of Karnataka is a proud part of it. Till today no one raised any question about the integrity of Kannadigas with the sovereignty of the nation."

The complaint added, "The meaning of what Congress is saying is that the Congress believes that Karnataka is separate from India. This statement is divisive in nature. It is aimed at dividing the citizens and creating a rift between people of different states. Karnataka is not different from India. This is a shocking statement leading to igniting divisive sentiments and to create disharmony in the society."