Key Takeaways
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal shared a map highlighting 20 states/UTs for the India-EFTA trade deal, omitting 16 others.
- The post sparked a major social media controversy, with users calling it insensitive and questioning the exclusion.
- Goyal later deleted the post and shared a corrected map, stating the pact would benefit all states and Union Territories.
- The landmark trade deal with EFTA nations was signed on Sunday.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal faced significant backlash on Saturday after sharing an official map of India that excluded 16 states and Union Territories. The map was posted to highlight the export potential of the newly signed India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) trade deal.
The Controversial Map
The Commerce and Industry Minister shared the map on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. It highlighted 20 states and UTs, including Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
However, it conspicuously left out 16 others, including major states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Users also noted the omission of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
Social Media Uproar
The post triggered an immediate and massive row online. Users questioned the minister’s intent and the map’s accuracy.
“Sir, what about the other states? Are they not part of India?” wrote one user.
“This is a very insensitive post. How can you exclude so many states from the map of India?” said another.
Minister’s Correction
Following the criticism, Minister Goyal deleted the original post. He subsequently shared a new, corrected map that included all Indian states and Union Territories.
In his updated post, he stated, “The India-EFTA Trade & Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) is a landmark pact to boost Make in India and provide a window to Indian exporters to access large European and global markets. All states/UTs stand to gain from the pact. Congratulations India!”
About the India-EFTA Deal
The India-EFTA Trade & Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on Sunday. The EFTA bloc comprises four European nations: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The deal is a significant aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment, offering Indian exporters enhanced access to large European and global markets.
The pact is expected to provide a major fillip to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and strengthen economic ties between the regions.
