I am the tiger: Tripura CM Biplab Deb tells officials to not fear contempt of court

Tripura Chief
Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told civil servants of the state to not fear “contempt
of court” while performing their duties. The Tripura chief minister’s comments
shot on video, which went viral on social media, were made at the 26th
biennial conference of the Tripura Civil Service Officers’ Association at
Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan.

“Nowadays, a
section of officers is scared of contempt of court. They don’t touch a file
saying there will be trouble, citing contempt of court. Where’s the problem?
How many officers have been sent to jail on contempt of court charge so far? I
am here, I will go to jail before any one of you are dragged to jail,” said the
Tripura chief minister.

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Deb further said
that sending an official to jail was not easy as the police are required to do
that, “and I control the police. The way the officials are citing the situation
as if contempt of court was like a tiger! I want to assure all of you that I am
the tiger.”

Biplab Deb also cited
an experience he had with a former chief secretary over the issue, who
according to Deb said he will be jailed for contempt of court if he does work
outside the system. “Then I let him go and die,” the Tripura chief minister
said.

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The Tripura chief
minister’s comments have triggered a controversy with opposition parties
slamming Deb for allegedly being disrespectful of the judiciary.

CPI(M), the principal
opposition party in Tripura, lashed out at Biplab Deb’s comments. “It shows
that he doesn’t respect the judiciary, one of the important pillars of
democracy. Under his regime, democracy is at state and his statement is the
outburst of frustration for failing to deliver,” said CPI(M) state secretary
Jitendra Chowdhury.

Trinamool general
secretary Abhishek Banerjee, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s nephew said, “Biplab
Deb is a disgrace to the entire nation! He shamelessly mocks democracy, mocks
the honourable judiciary and seemingly gets away with it! Will the Supreme
Court take cognisance of his comments that reflect such grave disrespect.”