PATNA: Defence minister Rajnath Singh came down on former Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav who had shared a video showing him eating fish on Navratra eve.
Addressing an election rally in Bihar’s Jamui Lok Sabha constituency, Rajnath said, “There is a former minister. It pains my heart from within. The festival of Navratra is here and he is showing big fried fish, eating them. What message you want to send?”
He further said, “You eat whatever you want, fish, pig, elephant or horse. What do you have to show it to the world? Who has given the right to hurt the people’s sentiments? No one else shows. You have such arrogance.”
Singh accused the RJD leader of doing such things to seek votes from a particular community. Targeting RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s family, he said that those who had eaten fodder of cattle were talking such nonsense.
The defence minister was reacting to a video shared by Tejashwi eating fried fish along with VIP chief Mukesh Sahani during campaigning. Tejashwi later said he was testing the IQ of BJP leaders by sharing video made a day before start of Navratra.
The navratra started on April 9 while the video was made on April 8 but released a day later. The video created a political storm with BJP leaders making a hue and cry over the issue.
Singh sought votes for NDA candidate Arun Bharti (LJP-Ram Vilas), contesting from Jamui Lok Sabha seat. Bharti is the brother-in-law of LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan.
Meanwhile, talking about Rajya Sabha member and RJD candidate from Patliputra Misa Bharti, he said, “Those in jail and currently out of jail on bail are talking about sending PM Modi to prison.”
Singh asserted that under PM Modi, India has transformed into a big power, capable of repulsing cross-border terrorism as was seen during the surgical strikes.
‘Vote-bank politics’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday accused RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav of doing things (like posting on Navratra the video of eating fish) to seek votes from a particular community. Targeting RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s family, he said that those who had eaten fodder of cattle were talking such nonsense.