Controversial statements of Tripura CM make BJP embarrass

Agartala: The BJP Tripura state committee leaders were embarrassed with the repeated controversial statements of the Chief Minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb within two months of his office that has given a space for opposition CPI (M) to turn around.

He earned global criticism since last week when he claimed that internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata in a two-day workshop on computerization of Public Distribution System (PDS) of three northeastern states.He said Sanjaya (the charioteer of king Dhritarashtra) had used communication technology to give a detailed account of the battle of Kurukshetra to the blind king. 

Deb further stated, "Europeans and the Americans may claim internet to be their invention, but internet technology and satellite system existed in India lakhs of years ago."Deb put his party in trouble on the next day when he reiterated the statement and accused the criticizers terming "lack of nationalism." The youngsters and tech-savvy gang who supported him blindly before election to change orthodox ideas of leftists have now become upset over his public statements. 

Within a week of the "internet and satellite" statement, the 46-year-old Deb was again in news on April 25 for asking Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "to get her brain examined in a hospital." The despicable statement was in response to Banerjee's statement on BJP's electoral victory in Tripura.

Tripura Chief Minister also suggested that the Trinamool Congress chief should also visit temples for "mental peace". The statements on internet and Mamata Banerjee were not the end of his controversies. Yesterday, in the inaugural program of a Design Workshop here Deb said 1997 Miss World Diana Hayden was not worthy of the crown, as he did not see the beauty of Diana Hayden and failed to understand the "process of judging winners".

He claimed Indian women like Aishwarya Rai was like Goddess Laxmi or Saraswati, and criticized Diana Hayden as she did not look godly and added: all international fashion and design event organisers in Paris are "international marketing mafia" and they take girls and make them walk with fabric on ramps. He also claimed Indians were crowned Miss World and Miss Universe "five years in a row" just to grab the Indian cosmetic market.

Probably not well-read and regimented like his mentors in RSS and BJP, Deb showed the habit of making wrong statements whenever he spoke in the public. During the last one month, he claimed Amazon is in Africa, Hindi is national language of India, Chanakya was in Nalanda and even said Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang was a journalist.(UNI)