Guwahati: Congress leader Ajoy Kumar on Wednesday issued a clarification and apology after a video surfaced showing him mistakenly referring to Sikkim as a “neighbouring country,” sparking sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and triggering a political row.
The remark, made during a press conference, drew strong reactions, particularly from the BJP’s Sikkim unit, which called the statement ignorant and disrespectful.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Clarifying his comments, Kumar said, “Yesterday, during my press conference, while I was speaking about the deteriorating relations with our neighbouring countries, I mistakenly mentioned the name of a state. I sincerely apologise for this, as it was an unintentional human error — a slip of the tongue.”
Despite the apology, the BJP continued to criticise the Congress leader. The Sikkim BJP unit condemned the statement, saying, “It is utterly deplorable that a former IPS officer and Member of Parliament displays such appalling disregard for India’s history and geography. The Congress party must immediately educate its leaders to prevent such disgraceful blunders. This shameful remark deserves the strongest possible condemnation.”
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also weighed in, accusing the Congress of attempting to divide the country. “The Congress party is following in the footsteps of Jinnah. Jinnah wanted an Islamic state and the partition of India, and Congress is doing the same today. They advocate for Sharia over the Samvidhan,” he said.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!