In 2018, Biplab Kumar Deb, the Chief Minister of Tripura state made a controversial statement regarding Hayden during a public speech. Deb questioned the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden as Miss World in 1997 and claimed that all international beauty pageants were a farce. Deb expressed - "Tell me, did she deserve it? People might say I am creating a controversy. I can understand Aishwarya Rai getting it, at least she has traits of an Indian beauty." Deb went on to add that "for Indians, Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati exemplify beauty. I don't understand the beauty of Diana Hayden."