In an attempt to dodge a reporter’s question about the increasing cases of lynching in the state, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb underlined that “there is a wave of happiness”.
At the newly renamed Agartala airport on Wednesday, Deb said,“I think that you all should think that today there is a wave of happiness in Tripura. You should also enjoy this happiness wave and you will also become happy. And you think for once…. Look at my face, how happy I am.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader made the statement when the reporter asked him to comment on the violent incidents in the state.
Later on Thursday evening, the party issued a statement clarifying Deb’s comments and said that the remarks were made in context of the newly renamed airport.
“Unfortunately, attempts have been made to take the above comments of the chief minister out of context and relate them to the severely reprehensible incidents of lynchings,” the statement by directorate and information and cultural relations said, reported Hindustan Times.
However, this is not the first time that Deb has landed himself into a controversy for making vague statements. Earlier, he was quoted saying that Internet existed in India during the era of Mahabharata.