BJP moves EC over Sonia Gandhi's 'Karnataka sovereignty' remark

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) demanding "immediate and firm" action against the remarks made by former Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the "sovereignty of Karnataka." Notably, at her first rally in Hubballi on Saturday, Gandhi stated that her party will not allow anyone to pose a threat to the state's "reputation, sovereignty or integrity."

• This major development comes just a day after BJP supremo and Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the grand old party of openly advocating for "separating" Karnataka from India.
• Reportedly, a delegation of the BJP went to the poll office in the national capital, demanding that the EC take action against this "anti-national act."
• It claimed that the word "sovereignty" is used for the country.

In its official letter to the EC, the BJP reportedly flagged a post from the Congress's official Twitter account that quoted Gandhi as saying, "The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's reputation, sovereignty or integrity." The BJP also requested the EC to issue instructions to file an FIR for the use of the word "sovereignty."

"Such a tweet is well-considered evil design to provoke the staunch nationalists, peace-loving, progressive and globally recognized people of Karnataka," NDTV quoted the letter as saying. "The intent apparently is to disturb the equanimity, harmony and peace that obtains in Karnataka just to garner the votes and support of some select communities or groups," the letter further adds.

Reacting to Gandhi's "sovereignty of Karnataka" remarks, Union Minister and BJP leader Bhupender Yadav said, "She (Gandhi) deliberately used the word sovereignty." "Congress manifesto is the agenda of the tukde-tukde gang and hence they are using such words. We hope the EC will take action against this anti-national act," news outlet Hindustan Times quoted Yadav as saying.

Bringing up Gandhi's remarks at a public meeting in Mysuru on Sunday, PM Modi stated, "Not only Karnataka, I want to tell this to the entire country with a lot of pain that in this election Congress's shahi parivar yesterday came to Karnataka and said that they want to protect the 'sovereignty' of Karnataka."

"Do you know what is the meaning of it...When a country becomes independent, that country is called a sovereign country," PM Modi further said at the rally. "The meaning of what Congress is saying is that the Congress believes that Karnataka is separate from India," ANI quoted Modi as saying.