'There is a wave of happiness in state'

Guwahati: Tripura CM Biplab Deb has put himself in a spot once again over his clumsy attempt at dodging a reporter's poser on mob lynching in the State.

In a video footage of Deb's interaction with the press on Wednesday at the newly renamed Agartala airport, a reporter sought his comment on lynching, and he replied, "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."

By "happiness", Deb was referring to the renaming of the Agartala Airport as Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore Airport, after the former king. The state BJP or the chief minister's office is yet to issue any statement clarifying the comment.

On June 28, Tripura saw three lynching — of a public announcer hired to dispel rumours, a hawker from Uttar Pradesh and an unidentified woman — after rumours of "child-abductors" and "kidney-smugglers" spread across the state. The Tripura Police have made multiple arrests,and began intensive community engagement programmes in the sensitive pockets. Biplab has been roasted on social media for his unscientific and misogynistic comments since he became the CM.