The statement went viral over social media. From Congre leader and National spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Vice-president Tapas Dey to many other opposition leaders have blasted the gymnasium-instructor-turned-politician CM for breaking communal peace and hurting the sentiments of Jats and Sikhs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOQ2CCjM5Gs&feature=youtu.be TIWN YouTube Link

However, after two days of constant trolling, Biplab Kumar Deb on Tuesday, in a series of tweets in Hindi, The Chief Minister sought forgiveness for his remarks and said of his friends were Punjabis and Jats, and he is proud of people hailing from the two communities.

“I had expressed thoughts about my Punjabi and Jat brothers at an event in Agartala Press Club recently. I didn’t intend to hurt any community. I am proud of both Punjabi and Jat communities. I myself have spent a lot of time with them,” Deb tweeted.

“Many of my close friends are from these communities. If my statement has hurt anyone’s sentiments, I personally seek apology for that,” he further tweeted as a sign of atonement.

Earlier in an event of the Tripura Electronic Media Society, while addressing the programme Biplab Deb appallingly said the Punjabis and Haryanvis are physically strong but are 'less brainy' and can be defeated by using intelligence.

"If you talk about people of Punjab, the Punjabi Sardar is not afraid of anyone. They have less intelligence but physically they are very strong. You cannot defeat them by strength, but with the help of the brain. In Haryana, lots of people from the Jat community are there. They also have limited brains but are physically well built. Now, speaking about Bengal and Bengalis, it is said that in this world Bengalis are known for wit. Nobody can beat the wit and the brain of a Bengali," the CM said.

This is not the first time that Biplab Deb has made such controversial statements on different issues or with factual errors too.

On 17 April 2018 Biplab Deb made his first historical statement that propelled his straight to the limelight. The CM claimed internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. The Indians have invented science and technology a lot before the Britishers.

On 26 April same year, Deb had given an opinion that only Aishwarya Rai is a good representation of Indian beauty and Diana Hayden did not deserve to win the Miss World crown. Indian beauty should look like Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati.

Only two days later, that is, on April 28, 2018, while attending an event in Agartala to mark the Civil Service Day Deb said that those who are from mechanical engineering background should not opt for civil services. Only civil engineers are capable of building up society.

The CM then came up with a factual error when he said, Rabindranath Tagore had given away his Nobel prize in protest against the British.

Biplab Deb said the youths should not run after government job for years. They should rather open pan shop or raise cows, he suggested.