Tripura Chief Minister lands in controversy for claiming Bengalis are smarter than Jatts

The Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has come under the scanner again for comparing the intelligence of Bengalis and Jatts

Guwahati: Biplab Kumar Deb, the Chief Minister of Tripura, has once again landed in the soup after making "objectionable" comments about the Jatt community.

In a 50-second clip that has surfaced online, Deb can be heard saying, "Haryana's Jats lack brains but are muscle-bound. They can't match the Bengalis when it comes to brains. Bengalis are known all across India for their intelligence." Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, describing the comments as indicative of "the mindset of the BJP", has urged the national BJP leadership to take action against Deb for his words.

शर्मनाक व दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण!

भाजपा के मुख्यमंत्री, त्रिपुरा,बिप्लब देव ने पंजाब के सिख भाइयों व हरियाणा के जाट समाज को अपमानित कर उनका "दिमाग़ कम" बताया

ये भाजपा की औछी मानसिकता है।

खट्टरजी व दुष्यंत चौटाला चुप्प क्यों हैं?
मोदी जी और नड्डाजी कहाँ हैं?
माफ़ी माँगे, कार्यवाही करें pic.twitter.com/whI8QOyKVk
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 20, 2020

Terming Deb's comments as "shameful and unfortunate" Surjewala, referring to the Haryana Chief Minister and his deputy, wrote in a tweet, "Why are Khattarji and Dushyant Chautala chupp (silent)?"

He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President J P Nadda to "apologize" and "take action." "Where are Modiji and Naddaji (the BJP President)? Apologise, take action," he added. Deb is no stranger to controversy and is known for his penchant for talking himself into trouble. Last year, the Tripura CM claimed the Mughals intended to destroy Tripura's cultural wonders of the state by "bombing" its art and architecture.

In 2018, Deb courted controversy by claiming that the internet and satellite communication existed in the days of the Mahabharata. "The Europeans and the Americans may claim it is theirs, but it is actually our technology," he said, much to everyone's bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Deb, in a series of tweets clarified that it was not his intention to hurt the sentiments of any community. "At a programme organized at the Agartala Press Club, I had mentioned about some people's perceptions regarding the Jatts and Sikhs. It was not my intention to hurt any community. I am proud of both Jatts and Punjabis. I myself have lived amongst them for a long time", Deb wrote in one of the tweets.