By Matters India Reporter

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb continues to court controversies with his remarks on various subjects.

The latest controversy arose on April 30, the Buddha Purnima festival. The chief minister reportedly claimed that Gautam Buddha had spread his message by walking across India and going to places that are now known as Japan, Myanmar, and Tibet.

However, the chief minister’s secretariat later clarified that a section of the media misinterpreted Deb’s speech on Buddha Purnima.

“It is evident that the speech of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tripura is misinterpreted,” said a statement issued by Milind Ramteke, additional secretary, Tripura government.

The secretariat clarified that the chief minister had said that “Lord Buddha gave his message of peace, harmony and prosperity on foot in the then ‘Bharat Varsha’ which (the message of peace, harmony and prosperity) has reached today’s Burma, Japan and Tibet” and not what was reported in a section of the media.

The 46-year-old chief minister drew international attention early April by claiming that ancient India had internet and satellite communications and cited the epic Mahabharata as proof. Else Sanjay could not have been updating blind king Dhritarashtra about the battle in Kurukshetra while sitting at the palace in Hastinapur, argued Deb, who on March 9 took oath as the tenth chief of the northeastern Indian state.

“Every Indian should have a common thinking that India is best and superior country all around the world,” the Chief Minister said today. “My country had the technology years ago, which no country had. I am proud of that and I think every Indian should feel proud. I want to repeat that we should accept the truth and should not get confused.”

He, however, acknowledged that there were narrow minded people who “want to belittle their own nation and think highly of other countries”.

Eminent author and historian William Dalrymple tweeted: “What reasonable person could argue with this? More evidence of the BJP’s magnificent grasp of history. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb says internet existed during Mahabharata.”

Deb stoked another controversy April 28 by saying that civil engineers are better suited for civil services than mechanical engineers. “After pursuing mechanical engineering one 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,” the ANI news agency reported Deb as saying.

Deb spoke about medical profession as well. He said that “doctors also have an added benefit of utilizing their skills in a civil service post.” They can apply their knowledge to treat the sick, he remarked. The minister made the controversial remarks while attending an event organized to mark Civil Service Day in Agartala.

A day earlier, he raised question on the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden ‘Miss World’ 21 years ago. He had also claimed that the international beauty pageants were a farce and the results were all 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 said.

Accordign to him, Indian beauty should resemble goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. “Diana Hayden did not deserve to win the Miss World crown. Actually, it was part of a fixed plan, which was hatched keeping in mind the interests of the international market. Aishwarya Rai’s victory was well deserved as she represents the quintessential Indian woman,” he added.