Less than 48 hours after his ‘sexist’ remark targeting former Miss World Diana Hayden, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said civil engineers are better equipped to be in civil services than mechanical engineers.

He made the faux pas while addressing a Civil Service Day function in State capital Agartala on Saturday.

“Those with mechanical engineering background should not opt for civil services. Administration is for civil engineers who know how to build the society,” he said. He also said mechanical engineers are not primed for helping with construction projects that civil engineers can handle after entering civil services.

Mr. Deb had stirred a controversy on Thursday by questioning the crowning of Diana Hayden as Miss World in 1997. He said she was not a beauty in the Indian mould like Aishwarya Rai is, and that international firms fixed the crowing of Indian women to capture the country’s cosmetics market.

A backlash from feminists and political leaders made Mr. Deb apologise a day later. “I respect all women as my mother. I regret if anybody is hurt or feeling defamed,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Chief Minister said he believed the Internet and satellite communication existed in ancient time as evident from ancient Indian epics. He said such technology helped Sanjay (who, according to Mahabharata, was awarded divine vision by Ved Vyasa) narrate details of the Kurukshetra war to blind King Dhritarashtra.

Meanwhile, a section of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Tripura have said Mr. Deb was becoming a source of embarrassment for the party.