New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) Ahead of the campaign for the high-profile Karnataka assembly election ending on Monday, BJP lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against former AICC President Sonia Gandhi's "Karnataka sovereignty" remark.
The complaint was lodged by a delegation of BJP leaders comprising Bhupender Yadav, Anil Baluni and Tarun Chugh after meeting the ECI on Monday with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav calling this anti-national act.
Several senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have tried to make an issue of Sonia's controversial remarks. On Saturday, she had said, "Congress will not allow anyone to pose any threat to Karnataka's reputation, sovereignty, or integrity."
PM Modi, in his concluding rally at Nanjangud on Sunday, termed it as an attempt by the Congress to separate Karnataka from India.
The argument presented by BJP states that Karnataka is an Indian state, and since the country gained its sovereignty after independence from the Britishers, there is no point in talking about the independent sovereignty of a particular state.
Challenging this remark, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje filed a complaint against Sonia seeking stringent action against her.
According to the complaint copy, "The meaning of what Congress is saying is that the Congress believes that Karnataka is separate from India. The statement is divisive in nature and it is aimed at dividing the citizens and creating rifts between two people of different states. Karnataka is not different from India. This is a shocking statement leading to igniting divisive sentiments."
The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13. UNI BDN SSP