Delhi govt's ad referring to Sikkim as 'separate nation' stokes controversy

An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by the Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as "subject" along with those from Bhutan and Nepal, prompting the BJP and the Congress to launch a scathing attack on the AAP dispensation.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal suspended a senior official responsible for the "error" in the advertisement.

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, he tweeted.

Zero tolerance for such gross misconduct! Direction has also been given immediately to withdraw the offensive advertisement, he said in another tweet.

The advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers published in newspapers on Saturday mentioned under eligibility criteria "Citizen of India or a subject of Sikkim or of Bhutan or of Nepal and a resident of Delhi".

A senior staff officer of Civil Defence (Headquarter) has been suspended with immediate effect, a Delhi government functionary said.

"The official in-charge for the advertisement without applying his mind copy pasted the eligibility criterion from the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 (amended in 1971 and 1973) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, for recruitment to the Civil Defence Corps," he said.

Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975.

A home ministry official later said, after Sikkim's merger with India, a gazette notification was issued on September 8, 1975, for application of the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968, in Sikkim.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 9 of the Civil Defence Act 1968, (27 of 1968), the central government hereby directs that the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 shall extend to and come into force in the state of Sikkim with effect on and from the 1st day of October 1975," the home ministry notification signed by the then joint secretary C G Somiah said.

Reacting to the controversy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned."