A seemingly small slip of the tongue by Congress leader Ajoy Kumar has stirred a major political controversy. While speaking at a press conference, Kumar mistakenly referred to Sikkim as a "neighbouring country", a remark that immediately drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and sparked backlash across social media.

The BJP, quick to respond, called the comment an insult to the people of Sikkim and the entire Northeast. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla went a step further, labeling the Congress as a "Jinnahwadi" party implying that it carries a divisive mindset reminiscent of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the figure linked to India's partition. He also invoked the term “tukde-tukde gang,” a phrase often used by BJP to criticize what it sees as anti-national behavior by political opponents.

#WATCH | Delhi: BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, "Congress is following the footsteps of Jinnah. It is a 'Jinnahwadi' party. Just like Jinnah wanted that there should be an Islamic state and division of India, the Congress party advocates for a Sharia Islamic state in some… pic.twitter.com/36fjL62gNV

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2025

Reacting to the uproar, Ajoy Kumar issued a public apology via X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the remark was a “slip of the tongue” and unintentional. He criticized the BJP for using the incident to distract attention from real issues, including alleged fraud like the ₹400 crore SAIL land scandal.

The episode stresses how even a verbal blunder can become political conflict. While the Congress made it clear that there was no wrong intention behind this comment and it should not be excessively given, the BJP says that this mistake reflects the deep disconnect between the Congress and the Indian public.

Although the message for the people of Sikkim and the Northeast is absolutely clear: the identity and respect of being an integral part of India can be compromised. The dispute once again demands that national leaders should show more sensitivity and awareness towards those areas which have their own specific and glorious identity.