Congress CWC meet in Belagavi sparks controversy over ‘distorted’ map of J&K – BJP alleges vote bank politics

The two-day Congress Working Committee (CEC) session in Belagavi, Karnataka is caught in a ‘distorted’ map row with Bharatiya Janata Party (CWC) accusing the grand old party of using 'incorrect' map of India in posters of the mega event. Congress is in power in Karnataka.

In the map, a part of Jammu and Kashmir has been shown in Pakistan. The BJP reacted strongly and accused Congress of doing appeasement politics.

“Karnataka Congress has shown utter disrespect for India’s sovereignty by displaying a distorted map at their Belagavi event, portraying Kashmir as part of Pakistan. All this just to appease their vote bank. This is shameful,” said a post by Karnataka BJP on X.

The Congress party distanced itself from the row saying that these are not official banners of the party.

The Congress is holding an extended session the Congress Working Committee (CWC) – the party's highest decision-making body – and a rally in Belagavi, Karnataka on Thursday and Friday. The event commemorates the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi presiding over the Congress’s historic Belgaum (now Belagavi) session as the party president in 1924.

The Congress top brass, including its chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with CWC members and senior party leaders from across the country, will attend the two-day event.

Why Belagavi?

After his release from prison in February 1924 following a surgery, Mahatma Gandhi was unhappy over the lack of unity between Hindus and Muslims during the freedom struggle. He went on a 21-day fast from September 18 to October 8 that year to “bridge” this divide. He also wanted to address the issue of rampant factionalism in the Congress party.

Congress MP KC Venugopal said the event is being held to celebrate the centenary of the 1924 session of the party. Venugopal called it a "historic event" which will see the participation of around 200 leaders.

"Mahatma Gandhi presented his address in Belgaum basically on non-violence, non-cooperation as a means to attain political freedom, the removal of untouchability, promoting unity between communities, the need to address socio-economic disparity and reinforce the principle of justice and equality. These were the contents of Gandhi ji's speech in 1924. The Belgaum session became the bedrock of India's freedom movement," he said.