There is an uproar in Karnataka over the recently published advertisement regarding Mahatma Gandhi. In this uproar, both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are mainly face to face. The Congress government of Karnataka had published an advertisement of Mahatma Gandhi on the front pages of major Kannada and English newspapers of the state on Tuesday (February 3, 2026). In this, Mahatma Gandhi was shown wearing a white shirt and khaki pants, reprimanding Sangh-Appa for abolishing MNREGA.

This ad of the Congress government took a dig at the central government for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) with Developed India-Guarantee Mission for Employment and Livelihood (Rural) (VB-G RAM G). In response to which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also published an advertisement related to Mahatma Gandhi in the newspaper.

BJP responded to Congress’s advertising war

In response to Congress’s advertisement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) published a full page advertisement in the newspaper on Saturday (February 7, 2026). In this, Mahatma Gandhi was shown raising his stick to hit Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party National President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in an advertisement released by the party, has shown grave disrespect to the Mahatma Gandhi.

Portraying Mahatma Gandhi as someone wielding a stick and beating others is completely contrary to the path of non-violence he stood for. Such a… pic.twitter.com/DwQ020jlTC

— Kr!§hhh_चे (@ITSCK47) February 6, 2026

In this BJP ad, Mahatma Gandhi was shown saying to the three leaders, ‘You three Nungappa (losers of everything), who are using Mahatma Gandhi as your property.’ At the same time, Siddaramaiah, Rahul and Kharge were shown pleading Mahatma Gandhi not to kill him.

KGSN condemns ad war related to Mahatma Gandhi

Karnataka Gandhi Memorial Fund (KGSN) has condemned the advertisements related to Mahatma Gandhi published in newspapers recently in the state. The organization has alleged misuse of Mahatma Gandhi’s photo. KGSN President Woody P. Krishna and Honorary Secretary MC Narendra issued a statement calling it an insult to the core ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and a matter of grave national concern.