Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Tripura State Minister Biplab Dev has sparked a controversy after claiming that his party planned to expand into neighbouring countries, a local news website, East Mojo, reported.
He recollected his discussion with federal Home Minister Amit Shah, during which the latter shared plans to have a BJP government in Sri Lanka and Nepal during an internal meeting of the party.
"We were talking at a meeting in the State Guest House when Ajay Jamwal (BJP's zonal secretary for northeast) said that BJP had come to power in several states. In reply, Amit Shah said that Nepal and Sri Lanka are still left. We have to win there as well," Deb said in a party programme on Saturday.
Soon after his comment went viral, netizens questioned whether BJP is planning to partake in an election in the US or Russia too.
Someone tell Biplab, don't donate his brain, don't make the doctors' life hell searching for it.
— Tom Jose (@tjose66) February 15, 2021
'Amit Shah Has Plans to Form BJP Govts in Nepal, Sri Lanka': Tripura CM Biplab Deb https://t.co/Zx6VKMIipo
Biplab Deb's statements always come out at strategic moments to divert attention. People will keep outraging about this silly news even as something more serious will go unchallenged. So best to ignore.
— Madhumita (@madhuchak) February 15, 2021
Biplab Deb is taking this map seriously👇 pic.twitter.com/Ab6NmzKWrl
— Joysun_Dsouza🤚 (@DsouzaJoysun) February 14, 2021
I drespratly wants to know Shah plans on pakistan, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar may be later America and Russia also.
— Dastan🕋 (@Daastan18) February 15, 2021
And Biplab Deb will be installed as the new King of Nepal.Hail this majesty.
— Raghunathan tk (@raghunathtk) February 15, 2021
Amit Shah has plans to establish BJP govts in Nepal & Sri Lanka after forming governments in West Bengal & Kerala: Biplab Deb, BJP CM, Tripura
— Firoz Khan (@firozkhan15) February 15, 2021
Pakistan, China & Bangladesh will be colonised after that😂😂 pic.twitter.com/DFOkqyFaMw
"Amit Shah has plans to form BJP govt in Sri Lanka, Nepal"- Tripura CM Biplab Deb!
— shafqat (@shafquath) February 15, 2021
This is what happens when people start immersing themselves in gaumutra & cow dung !
Very good Amit Shah is undertaking Ashwamedha Yeghna to expand the territory and Nepal and Srilanka are the targets. Biplab Deb should be awarded Bharat Ratna for making it public. In today's India everything is possible you know.
— Laxman (@and_fair) February 15, 2021
Kapil Sharma show nahi hai toh kya hua Biplab Deb show toh hai @AmitShah 😂😂 https://t.co/NVNuz2ysiu
— Liecoste🐊@Narangi Modi!! 🧔🏼 (@CertifiedDeshb1) February 15, 2021
Not only netizens but also Tripura state opposition leaders Tapas Dev accused BJP of interfering in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries.
"This attitude of BJP is anti-national and anti-democratic. We respect our neighbouring countries, and there is no justification to interfere in the internal affairs of these countries," Congress leader Tapas Day said on Monday.
Biplap Deb has made headlines for controversial comments ever since he came to power in the northeastern state Tripura. In 2020, he said that Punjabis and Jats are physically strong but less intelligent than Bengalis, which are residents of the eastern part of the country.
He told a crowd at a rally that the internet and satellites were not new to India but had existed since the time of the Mahabharata (almost 3,000 years ago).