The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against former Congress president Sonia Gandhi for saying that her party would “not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty or integrity” during a poll rally at Hubballi on May 6, PTI reported.

The Congress party’s Twitter handle had shared the remarks, saying it was “a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas” from Gandhi.

On Monday, a delegation of the BJP, headed by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, demanding immediate and firm action against Gandhi. It also sought the derecognition of the Congress, reported PTI.

It said that the tweet by the Congress was a “well-considered evil design to provoke the staunch nationalists, peace-loving, progressive and globally recognised people of Karnataka,” according to NDTV.

“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, whose sole purpose and intent is to disrupt the very being of the Indian state,” it said.

The Hindutva party also accused the Congress of supporting secessionist organisations such as the banned Popular Front of India and the “tukde tukde gang”.

The BJP uses the phrase “tukde tukde gang” to label its Opposition and its critics as a group that wants to divide the country. However, in January 2020, the Union home ministry said in response to a Right to Information application that it had no information about such a gang in India.

“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 saffron party said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a rally in Mysuru, also referred to Gandhi’s remarks and alleged that the “disease” of the “tukde-tukde gang” had reached the Congress’s top level, according to NDTV.