Guwahati: A serious controversy has emerged after a national English daily’s May 13 edition published an India map without Sikkim.
This comes amid rising nationalism following Operation Sindoor and growing calls to boycott pro-Pakistan nations.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sikkim unit strongly denounced the exclusion, describing it as more than just a publishing error; it called the act a blatant affront to India’s territorial sovereignty.
In its official statement, the party termed the omission “irresponsible, insensitive, and bordering on anti-national.”
“This act is a deep insult to the people of Sikkim, especially as we are about to commemorate 50 years of statehood on May 16. Sikkim’s identity and integration into the Indian Union are protected under Article 371F of the Constitution, and excluding it from the map is tantamount to questioning its rightful place in the country,” the statement read.
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The BJP has demanded a public apology from the editorial leadership of the national English daily and urged the publication to correct the mistake immediately in its subsequent edition.
Additionally, it has called upon the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to take strict measures against the newspaper.
“Sikkim is not merely a geographical entity; it stands as a representation of India’s unity in diversity,” the party emphasized. “Its exclusion from a national map reflects a grave lapse in editorial judgment and a worrying disregard for national integrity.”
Public backlash has been swift, with several political figures and civil society organizations joining the call for accountability. The incident has particularly stirred emotions in Sikkim, adding to nationwide sensitivities amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
BJP’s IT Cell Chief, Amit Malviya, also took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and condemned the incident.