Congress files complaint against BJP’s newspaper advt

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress on Friday filed a complaint with the Home Department and DGP M A Saleem against BJP for allegedly misusing Mahatma Gandhi’s photograph in an advertisement to target the party-led government in the state.

The advertisement shows caricatures of Mahatma Gandhi showing a stick towards Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi.

It has a caption where Gandhi is accusing them of looting for 60 years in his name and now indulging in misinformation against the VB-G RAM G Act brought in by the Modi government, which he says fulfils his dream of gram swaraj.

The advertisement published on Friday in several leading Kannada and English newspapers is in response to the ad issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department both on January 29 and February 3, which features caricatures of Gandhi in conversation with a fictional person named ‘Sangappa’, depicted wearing a white shirt and khaki trousers resembling an RSS uniform, to highlight the alleged shortcomings of the Centre’s new act compared to the earlier legislation.

“It has come to my notice that an advertisement given in several of today’s i.e., 06-02-2026 news papers is being publicly circulated wherein the image of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation and an internationally revered symbol of non-violence, has been wrongfully and irresponsibly used in connection with violent acts / violent messaging / incitement to violence,” Congress MLC, Ramesh Babu stated in the complaint.

He claimed that such misuse is deeply offensive, distorts the legacy of Gandhi, hurts public sentiments, and has the potential to disturb public order and harmony.

“This advertisement is published by Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka Unit, Bangalore. The above act constitutes cognizable offences under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” Babu said citing the various sections. Further, the content is circulated through electronic and digital platforms also, he said.