Congress Booklet Jammu and Kashmir
A picture of the booklet showing Jammu and Kashmir as 'Indian-occupied Kashmir'Twitter/Tajinder Pal S Bagga

Congress landed itself in trouble on Saturday after it released a booklet that referred to Jammu and Kashmir as "Indian-occupied Kashmir." Bharatiya Janata Party called the incident "highly objectionable" and said that the party must clarify whether it sided with India or Pakistan. This comes after Congress accused BJP of being "lax" on national security.

The 15-page booklet titled "National Security Endangered. Bravado, Rhetoric, Hyperbole Rules", which talks about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had the wrong map on page 12. The booklet was circulated to reporters at a press conference by All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad at the party headquarters in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Raj Babbar was also present at the press meet.

"The CPEC worth $54 billion built through PoK/Balochistan connecting Gwadar Port in the Arabian Sea to China with a base for Chinese submarines. Does it not compromise India's sovereignty over PoK and affects our strategic interests in the Arabian Sea with Chinese Naval Presence," the booklet read.

UPCC spokesperson Satyadev Tripathi, however, said that the wrong map on Jammu and Kashmir was a "printing mistake". "The Congress's policy on Jammu and Kashmir is very clear. This printing mistake does not change the party's policy," Satyadev said.

At the press conference, Azad said that the Narendra Modi-led Central government had failed to fulfil its promises and was "misleading people by inaugurating projects" that were initiated by the UPA government. He lashed out at PM Modi for inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his oath-taking ceremony and his policy on Pakistan and China.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Shalabh Mani Tripathi demanded an unconditional apology from Congress and said: "This is highly objectionable, and it goes on to prove that on one hand, the Indian Army is eliminating the terrorists, while the Congress is refusing to believe that Kashmir is an integral part of India. The border dispute with Pakistan and terrorism in Kashmir is a gift of the Congress," Tripathi said.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "A Parliament resolution says even Pak-occupied Kashmir is part of India. By projecting Kashmir as Indian-occupied Kashmir, the Congress party has not only made separatists happy but also gladdened the heart of its patrons across the border. It is condemnable."

Congress leader Ajay Maken, however, apologised for the "mistake" and said that the map that was published in the booklet was a "printing error" and that it was the party's responsibility to make sure that such a mistake was "not repeated."

However, Maken also targeted the BJP saying that the party's website featured a similar map on March 28, 2014. He claimed that a map, which was released in 2014 when India and China signed a treaty, showed Arunachal Pradesh as part of China.

Maken also said that unlike BJP, Congress is capable of admitting its mistake. "Before raising questions, they should respond to the publication of such maps," the Congress leader said.

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