AAP leaders seek Tripura CM’s resignation

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday put forward a Jat and a Sikh leader from their fold to demand the resignation of Tripura chief minister Biplab

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday put forward a Jat and a Sikh leader from their fold to demand the resignation of Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb over comments that triggered outrage among members of both communities.

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At an event at the Agartala Press Club on Sunday, Deb said that every community in India has “certain characteristics”. He averred that while Bengalis could not be challenged on intelligence, those from Punjabi and Jat communities are known for their physical strength but have “less brains”. Deb later apologised for his comments.

Delhi’s revenue and transport minister Kailash Gahlot and AAP’s Jat leader from Najafgarh area and Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh on Wednesday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) what action was taken against Deb.

“I ask Dushyant Chautala, you’re also a Jat, if you’re feeble-minded or mad, then how did you become Haryana’s deputy chief minister? Chautala should also ask for Tripura CM Biplab Deb’s resignation. We demand Biplab Deb’s resignation. Insult of Jats won’t be tolerated,” Gahlot said.

Dushyant Chautala, the chief of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), is running a coalition government in Haryana with the BJP.

Jarnail Singh asked if the BJP has sent a notice to Deb or taken any action. “If they have not done anything that will mean that the BJP agrees with such regressive thought,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Delhi assembly’s committee for peace and harmony held a meeting to review the complaints received against the Tripura chief minister.

“After the careful examination of the complaints and impugned remarks, it has been prima facie found that these statements are inflammatory, unacceptable by any set of community standards. The committee noted that the impugned remarks are highly unbecoming of a chief minister,” the committee’s chairman Raghav Chadha

RP Singh, national general secretary of the BJP who is also the party’s Sikh leader, said the AAP is dragging the issue despite Deb apologising for his remarks.

“Deb has already apologised for his comments and people of both the communities have accepted it as well. So, the matter is long resolved. The AAP is unnecessarily dragging the issue to keep itself relevant in the media,” he said.