Patna (Bihar), India, March 16 -- RJD party leader and ex-Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav faced criticism after making controversial remarks about suspending a police officer unless they danced during Holi festivities. On Saturday, he alleged that the BJP, RSS, and certain sections of the press were exploiting the religious celebration to incite division and hostility.
"Pay no heed, it’s Holi... This festival of communal harmony has taken on a new shade of animosity thanks to the BJP, RSS, and their sycophantic media outlets..." Yadav tweeted on X alongside a cartoon satirizing various news organizations.
"Celebrating Holi with law enforcement officers or rival politicians for political gain has turned into their creed. However, the citizens of this nation will not hesitate to impart a valuable lesson to these individuals," he stated additionally.
Yadav made these comments following criticism stemming from a contentious video where he was seen telling an officer to either "join the dance or face suspension" during a Holi celebration at his official residence in Patna on Friday, March 14.
In the video that became widely popular, Yadav was overheard saying to a police officer, "Nahi thumka lagaoge to suspend kar dije ga" (If you don't dance, you'll be suspended).
The comment faced severe backlash from BJP representatives, with MP Dinesh Sharma particularly condemning the RJD leader for showing contempt towards law enforcement officials.
"He (Tej Pratap) will never have the authority to suspend anyone. His family is known for insulting the police and their uniforms... They are better suited for theater (Inka gharana natak nautanki ke liye theek hai), but not qualified to govern," Sharma stated to ANI.
BJP spokesman Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Tej Pratap manipulated the law according to his wishes.
"As the saying goes, 'like father, like son.' His dad served as the chief minister, keeping Bihar under what many called ‘Jungle Raj.’ The senior figure manipulated laws for personal gain. Although he’s lost political power, his intentions remain unchanged; he wishes to reinstate that era of chaos. Tej Pratap Yadav’s disrespectful behavior towards those enforcing the law underscores this inclination toward authoritarianism, reflecting both his mentality and genetic legacy. However, times have shifted in Bihar where effective administration prevails today,” explained Poonawalla.
Former high-ranking law enforcement officials have similarly denounced the remarks made by the RJD politician, labeling them as an "affront" and urging for measures to be taken against him.
Ajay Kumar Singh, a former Delhi ACP, criticized the comments and called for actions to be taken against the RJD leader. He emphasized that the officer should not face consequences since he was simply adhering to instructions.
"The uniform has dignity, and we have a code of conduct. It is clearly mentioned in the police manual that police personnel must not act against the code of conduct. Tej Pratap is behaving like an imposter; saying such things to your own security is an insult to the police," the former Delhi ACP told ANI.
Singh further criticized Yadav's behavior, stating, "This action has deeply wounded us... The police officer is not to blame as they were just following instructions. Punishing them would be unjust and untenable." (ANI)
