Gangtok: A major controversy erupted in Sikkim after The Hindu, one of India’s leading national dailies, published a map of India in its May 13, 2025 edition that omitted the state of Sikkim. The map, accompanying a story titled “With a new Pope, an understanding of Catholicism in India,” displayed the share of Catholics within the Christian population across Indian states but excluded Sikkim entirely, sparking widespread outrage among citizens and state leadership.
With the state preparing to celebrate 50 years of its statehood, the omission was viewed as a grave insult to Sikkim’s identity and its place within the Indian Union.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang took to social media platform X to condemn the error. In a strongly worded statement, he wrote:
“It has come to my attention that The Hindu, in its edition dated 13th May 2025, published a map of India omitting the state of Sikkim. This is not a mere oversight, it is a serious and unacceptable error that undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation.
At a time when we are celebrating 50 years of Sikkim’s Statehood, such a misrepresentation is deeply hurtful to the people of Sikkim and an affront to the unity of our Republic. Sikkim is an integral part of India, with its identity firmly safeguarded under Article 371F of the Constitution.
I strongly condemn this grave lapse. The Hindu and all media organisations bear a serious responsibility in portraying the country accurately and respectfully.”
In response to the Chief Minister’s criticism, The Hindu issued an apology via X at 9:56 p.m. on May 14:
“Due to a data input error, the India map in the article, ‘With a new Pope, an understanding of Catholicism in India’, which appeared in the Data Point section on May 13, 2025, was incorrectly presented with the contours of Sikkim State being shaded out. We apologise for the error. The map has been corrected earlier today in our online and e-paper editions — The Editor.”
The paper also published a corrigendum on May 15, 2025.
The Sikkim Students Association Delhi had also released a statement on May 14, calling the omission “a serious lapse that undermines the territorial integrity of the nation and disregards the identity of an entire state.”
“This incident is particularly distressing as it comes at a time when the people of Sikkim are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the state’s integration into the Indian Union. To misrepresent the map of India at such a historic moment is both insensitive and unacceptable,” the association stated.
It emphasised that Sikkim’s unique status is constitutionally protected under Article 371F, and any misrepresentation must be taken seriously.
“We urge The Hindu and all media organisations to exercise greater responsibility in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their published content, especially in matters concerning national geography and unity. We also call for a public apology to the people of Sikkim,” the association added.
The Sikkim Students Association affirmed its solidarity with the people of the state, declaring that “Sikkim is, and will always remain, an integral part of India.”
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