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Biplab Deb does it again, now says Tagore returned Nobel; seven bloopers in two months

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Biplab Deb does it again, now says Tagore returned Nobel; seven bloopers in two months

Many missed him on World Laughter Day on May 6, but Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb didn’t keep people waiting for long.

Speaking at a function in Udaipur to mark Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary, the 49-year-old CM told the audience Tagore had returned his Nobel Prize to protest against the British rule in India.

“Rabindranath Tagore had given away his Nobel Prize in protest against the British,” Deb is seen telling his audience in a video being circulated in the social media.

Tagore received the Nobel Prize in 1913 and he did not return it. For one, it wasn’t and isn’t granted by the British government. Deb had apparently confused the Nobel with Tagore’s rejection of knighthood in protest against the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre in 1919.

Deb, and because him Tripura, have become known internationally due to his frequent gaffes.

– Before his mistaken praise for Tagore on his birth anniversary, Deb had similarly extolled Buddha on his jayanti, saying Buddha had walked across India and went to countries like Japan, Myanmar and Tibet on foot to spread the message of peace and harmony.

Buddha hadn’t travelled to these countries during his lifetime and Buddhism spread to these places much later through his followers.

– One was a relatively minor blooper in comparison when, in a video that went viral, he was heard saying that nails of his government’s critics should be pulled out.

Comparing his government to a bottle gourd that gets rotten due to repeated digging of nails, Biplab said that he will not allow this to happen with his government. “If someone pierces or interferes, his nails should be pulled out. No one can touch my government,” Biplab is heard saying in the video.

– The Tripura CM, who regards Prime Minister Narendra Modi his political guru, lived up to this claim when, like the PM’s ‘sell pakodas’ remark, he advised the jobless youth of his state, to set up paan shops and milk cows instead of chasing government jobs and looking to the government for employment opportunities.

“Why run after netas for government jobs? Graduates should get cows and milk it to earn Rs 10 lakh in 10 years. Instead of running after political parties, had the same youth set up a paan shop, he would have had a bank balance of Rs 5 lakh by now,” Deb had said.

– In another fit, he said that Mechanical Engineers should not go for civil services, but Civil engineers should.

“One should not opt for civil services after studying mechanical engineering. Civil engineers have the experience and knowledge to help build administration and society. Civil engineering gives that kind of knowledge,” media reported him as saying.

– Earlier, speaking at a function on April 17, 2018, Deb had claimed that Internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata.

“Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. Sanjaya (the charioteer of king Dhritarashtra) using the technology gave a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra,” Deb said while inaugurating a two-day workshop on computerisation of Public Distribution System (PDS).

He further said that Europeans and Americans were wrong in claiming internet as their invention as it was invented by Indians “lakhs of years ago”.

“How could Dhritarashtra see through Sanjay’s eyes? There was technology available at that time… Internet was there, satellite communication was there,” said Deb and stuck to it, despite being made the butt of jokes.

– He also revealed a parochial north Indian mindset, questioning the Miss World title to Diana Hayden years ago. Claiming that the international beauty pageants were a farce as their results were predetermined, he said Indian beauty was exemplified by Aishwarya Rai rather than Diana.

“Indian beauty should ideally look like 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 was reported to have said.

He later apologised for his remarks.

To those curious about the man, Deb was born on November 25, 1969 in a middle class family in Tripura’s Gomati district, in a village called Rajdhar Nagar. His father Hirudhan Deb was a local leader of the Jan Sangh, the BJP’s previous avatar.

Biplab Deb graduated from Tripura’s Udaipur College in 1999 – at the age of 30 – and left for Delhi soon after to join the RSS, where he was a volunteer for 16 years, training under prominent leaders Govindacharya and Krishnagopal Sharma.

He replaced Sudhindra Dasgupta, the longest-serving BJP chief in Tripura, in January 2016.

Deb has clarified that he is not a former gym instructor, as media reports had suggested. “During a television interview, I said I used to visit the gym to exercise, but now I do not get any time to exercise. I am surprised how the media reported that I was once a gym instructor,” Biplab Deb told news agency Press Trust of India.

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India hits back at Shehbaz Sharif at UN, says terror will have consequences

India hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s UN speech, with New Delhi warning that terrorism will have consequences.

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India has responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks at the United Nations, delivering a strong message on terrorism and warning that such actions will have consequences.

The response came after Mr Sharif addressed the UN and raised issues concerning India and Pakistan. New Delhi rejected the narrative presented by the Pakistani prime minister and highlighted the issue of terrorism.

India’s message was delivered by Petal Gehlot, who represented New Delhi in the response to Pakistan.

India warns Pakistan over terrorism

India’s response focused on Pakistan’s record and its approach towards terrorism. New Delhi made clear that terrorism cannot be separated from its consequences and that those responsible cannot expect such actions to go unanswered.

The Indian side also pushed back against the claims and allegations made by Mr Sharif during his UN speech.

The exchange comes amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, with terrorism remaining a major point of disagreement between the two countries.

Shehbaz Sharif’s UN remarks

In his address, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke about India-Pakistan relations and raised several issues concerning New Delhi.

India subsequently exercised its right of reply to respond to Pakistan’s statements at the United Nations.

New Delhi’s response underlined its position that terrorism remains a serious issue in the relationship and that there would be consequences for terrorist actions.

The latest exchange at the UN adds to the continuing diplomatic confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.

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Veeramani POCSO case: Vijay questions Stalin over earlier probe

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has questioned MK Stalin over the handling of the Veeramani POCSO case, while Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected anyone.

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Actor Vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has questioned DMK president MK Stalin over the handling of the POCSO case involving Gem Granites founder R Veeramani. The political exchange follows renewed investigation into allegations involving minor girls.

Vijay’s remarks came as the ruling TVK stepped up its questions about how the case was handled during the previous DMK government. The party’s IT wing has alleged that the earlier investigation was weakened and questioned why a final report was filed.

The allegations have been rejected by the DMK. Stalin has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to protect anyone in the case and has called the allegations false and defamatory.

What did Vijay say about the Veeramani case?

Vijay questioned Stalin over the handling of the case and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.

The TVK has specifically questioned why action was not taken against Veeramani during the previous administration and why the earlier investigation resulted in a closure report.

The party has also raised questions about the role of officials involved in the earlier investigation. These are political allegations made by the TVK and have not been established as facts.

What is the Veeramani POCSO case?

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving R Veeramani, the founder of Gem Granites.

The case came under renewed scrutiny after a special POCSO court rejected an earlier closure report and ordered further investigation. The expanded probe has subsequently identified additional alleged survivors who were minors at the time of the alleged offences, according to current reporting.

The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier probe and whether there were any lapses in how the case was handled.

What has MK Stalin said?

Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected Veeramani.

He has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to shield anyone in the case. Stalin has also said that everyone responsible for the alleged offences, including anyone who aided or attempted to protect the accused, should face the law.

The DMK president has further said that the focus should remain on securing justice for the affected girls rather than making political allegations.

Why has the case become a political issue?

The Veeramani case has become the subject of a political dispute between the ruling TVK and the DMK over the handling of the earlier investigation.

The TVK is questioning the previous government’s handling of the case, while the DMK has denied that it intervened to protect the accused.

At this stage, claims about political interference or deliberate weakening of the earlier investigation should be treated as allegations unless established by the ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings.

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Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal in sexual harassment case

Four women wrestlers have challenged the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of co-accused Vinod Tomar. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

The appeal challenges the order passed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 3, 2026, when Brij Bhushan and Tomar were acquitted in the case.

Wrestlers challenge court’s reasoning

In their appeal, the wrestlers have argued that the acquittal order is legally unsustainable and that the evidence was not assessed appropriately.

They have also alleged that the order relied on assumptions about how victims of sexual assault and harassment were expected to behave instead of assessing the evidence and circumstances of the complainants.

The challenge seeks judicial scrutiny of the findings that resulted in the acquittal of Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Brij Bhushan was acquitted in August

The Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on August 3 in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers. The court’s decision followed consideration of the evidence and statements presented during the proceedings.

The case had emerged after several women wrestlers accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment. The allegations had led to a major protest by wrestlers in 2023.

The latest appeal means the acquittal is now being challenged before a higher court.

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