NEW DELHI: In what can be described as a major goof-up, in an advertisement printed by the AAP government for the enrollment of volunteers to the Civil Defence Corps, the state of Sikkim was clubbed with neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan. The Delhi government has since then suspended the officer responsible for the blunder.
A huge controversy erupted after the commercial went viral on social media. The chief secretary of Sikkim, SC Gupta in a letter, written to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, asked to “immediately withdraw” the advertisement. Later in the day, terming this as “gross misconduct” the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said, “A senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) has been suspended with immediate effect for publishing an advertisement which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries,” in a tweet.
Politics over the printed ad also began with opponents BJP and Congress demanding an apology from the Aam Aadmi Party government. “Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is so busy spreading his propaganda that he does not even know whether Sikkim is part of India or outside India! For his memory, let me tell that Sikkim is a part of India,” said Anil Kumar Chaudhary, president of Delhi Congress.
Similarly, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said, “I was shocked to see the advertisement... Did the Delhi government send such a big advertisement without investigation or Kejriwal deliberately wants to do divisive politics through advertisement? This act of Delhi government has hurt the sentiments of the people of Sikkim as well as the people of the country. Kejriwal should apologise”.