Biplab Deb threatens to cut off nail of ' Tripura govt critics; top updates

Not only Biplab Deb, other BJP leaders, including Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, have been in the middle of controversies for their remarks on various issues

Despite all-around ridicule and the embarrassment of reportedly being summoned by Prime Narendra Minister Modi, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb seems to be unfazed, and his spree of controversial remarks goes unabated.

In a video that surfaced on Monday, Deb is heard threatening his government's critics by saying that the nails of those who pierce his government should be pulled out. 

"If someone pierces or interferes, his nails should be pulled out. No one can touch my government," The Economic Times quoted Deb as having said in the video.

When it comes to raking controversies, Deb is not alone in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani also made unnecessary remarks equating the search engine Google with the mythological character of Narada.

Amid a spate of apparently outlandish statements by the party's leaders, the Congress party on Tuesday tore into BJP, saying "India had not signed up for these". 

"This is all pretence because everybody knows what their ideology is. Two state chief ministers have been giving gyaan like this. I don't think this is what India signed up for," Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury told ANI.

BJP leaders have continued to make loose statements, despite PM Modi cautioning them to steer clear of controversies and not offer "masala" to the media by making irresponsible statements. PM Modi is reported to have summoned Deb to New Delhi on May 2 over his string of controversial remarks.

Here are six controversial statements that Biplab Deb has made since becoming Tripura CM:

1. Modi loves me like a son, says Tripura CM: Biplab Kumar Deb said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi loved him like a son. "There is no truth in the (media) reports of Modiji summoning me to Delhi. The (Delhi) trip was long planned. In fact, Modiji loves me like a son," Deb tweeted.

He denied media reports that the Prime Minister had called him to Delhi in view of his recent controversial statements on various issues.

An official of the Chief Minister's Secretariat said Deb left for New Delhi on Tuesday to attend a series of programmes in the national capital.

"From Delhi the Chief Minister will go to Bengaluru to join BJP leaders to campaign for the party ahead of the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections," the official added.

2. Nails of my govt's critics should be pulled out: Biplab Deb reportedly said that nails of his government's critics should be pulled out. 

Comparing his government to a bottle gourd that gets rotten due to repeated digging of nails, Biplab said that he will not allow this to happen with his government. 

" If someone pierces or interferes, his nails should be pulled out. No one can touch my government,” Biplab is heard saying in a video that surfaced on Monday.

3. Buddha walked to Japan and Burma: Speaking at a programme in Agartala on Monday, Deb said Gautam Buddha walked across India and went to countries like Japan, Myanmar and Tibet to spread the message of peace and harmony.

Although Buddha's message did reach many parts of the world, there is no evidence that he himself travelled to these countries. "Buddha didn't travel to either of these countries during his lifetime. Buddhism spread to these places much later through other people," Subhas Ranjan Chakraborty, a former professor of history at the erstwhile Presidency College in Calcutta told The Telegraph.

4. Open paan shops or raise cows, don't chase govt jobs: In a bizarre career advice to jobless youth of his state, the BJP leader suggested that they should set up paan shops and rear cows instead of chasing government jobs.

"The youth here runs after political parties for several years to get a government job and wastes the vital time of their life, had the same youth instead of running after parties set up a paan shop he would have by now had a bank balance of Rs 500,000," said Deb.

5. Mechanical engineers shouldn't join civil services: The Tripura CM had recently said that Mechanical Engineers should not go for civil services.

"Instead, civil engineers should join civil services as they have the knowledge and experience to help build administration and society," Deb said.

6. Internet existed in the days of the Mahabharata: Speaking at a function on April 17, 2018, Deb had claimed that Internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata.

"Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. Sanjaya (the charioteer of king Dhritarashtra) using the technology gave a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra," Deb said while inaugurating a two-day workshop on computerisation of Public Distribution System (PDS).

He further said that Europeans and Americans were wrong in claiming internet as their invention as it was invented by Indians lakhs of year ago.

"How could Dhritarashtra see through Sanjay's eyes? There was technology available at that time... Internet was there, satellite communication was there," the 47-year-old Chief Minister said very confidentially and repeatedly.

7. International beauty contests were a farce: Questioning the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden as Miss World 21 years ago, Deb claimed that the international beauty pageants were a farce as their results were predetermined.

"Whoever contested the international beauty pageants won. For five consecutive years, we won the Miss World/Miss Universe awards. Diana Hayden won it too. Do you think she should have won the title?" Deb had said.

These beauty pageant organisers are international marketing mafia, who spotted a huge market in the country. Today, there is a beauty parlour in every corner of the country," he said.