India, July 2 -- Senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar has sparked widespread outrage in Sikkim after he mistakenly referred to the state as a "neighbouring country" during a press conference held on Tuesday. Kumar, during a press conference on Tuesday, had referred to the state as a neighbouring country in the same frame alongside Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

However, with the issue snowballing into a controversy, the senior Congress leader on Tuesday apologised, stating it was a "slip of the tongue".

The comment, widely circulated on social media, has been called not only factually incorrect but also "irresponsible and insulting" by Sikkim's lone Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, who said the remark was a "grave affront to the people of ...