In the last leg of the election campaign in Karnataka, BJP on Monday approached the Election Commission urging it to file an FIR and initiate “exemplary punitive action” against Sonia Gandhi over her alleged remarks supporting the “sovereignty of Karnataka”.
The Hindu nationalist party also sought cancellation of the Congress’s registration as a party.
The BJP memorandum to the EC was based on a tweet by the Congress about her speech in Hubballi on May 6.
“the Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty and integrity,” reads the tweet.
The memo said Sonia’s remarks were a violation of her oath and pledge to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution and to uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
Meanwhile, a transcript of Sonia Gandhi’s speech indicates she did not use the word “sovereignty”. Following the BJP’s memo to the EC, the Congress accused the party of “fakery and falsehood”, and of denigrating the state’s swabhimaan (self-respect)”.
The Hindutva party also accused the Congress of supporting secessionist organisations such as the banned Popular Front of India and the “tukde tukde gang”.
