BJP Targets Congress Over Sikkim Gaffe, Labels It ‘Jinnahwadi’ Party
The BJP launched a fierce attack on the Congress after senior party leader Dr Ajoy Kumar mistakenly referred to Sikkim — a northeastern Indian state — as a “neighbouring country” during a press conference. The remark, made while listing nations with which India’s ties have allegedly worsened, sparked outrage across the political spectrum.
Dr Kumar, a former MP from Jamshedpur, included Sikkim alongside Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka in his critique of the BJP-led central government’s foreign policy. Realising the mistake, he later apologised on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “slip of the tongue” and a “small human error.”
Despite the apology, BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla strongly condemned the remark, branding the Congress a “Jinnahwadi party.” “This is not just an insult to Sikkim but to the entire Northeast,” Poonawalla said, accusing the Congress of historically neglecting and alienating northeastern states.
The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) also condemned the comment. Yougan Tamang, press secretary to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, called it “disheartening and insulting,” especially as Sikkim celebrated 50 years of integration with India earlier this year. He urged the Congress to take disciplinary action against Dr Kumar, citing the importance of political leaders being informed about the nation’s geography and history.
