Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav (File photos)
PATNA: Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav, whom his father Lalu Prasad recently expelled from the RJD, on Thursday asked his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav to show him the respect that Lord Rama had got from Laxman.The Hasanpur MLA, who has now floated his own party, Jan Shakti Janata Dal, was asked about Tejashwi’s charge that while in the RJD, he used to get close aides fielded as rebel candidates.The mercurial leader snapped, “Being the younger brother, he should act with a sense of propriety (maryada) just like Laxman did in the case of Ram. He is getting misled by people comparable to Jaichand”.While in RJD, Tej Pratap had a running feud with his younger brother’s close aides like Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav, whom he has been likening to Jaichand, an early medieval period Hindu king who is said to have assisted Afghan invader Muhammad Ghori to get even with rival Prithviraj Chouhan.Tej Pratap made it clear that he will contest the upcoming assembly polls from Mahua, a constituency that is adjacent to Tejashwi’s Raghopur seat and from where he had made his debut in the 2015 assembly polls.Replying to a query on the centenary celebrations of the RSS, he said, “The RSS had played no role in the Independence movement. We are followers of Mahatma Gandhi.” He also frowned upon the “I love Muhammad” controversy, saying, “I have a copy of the Holy Quran. I hold the Prophet in high esteem. Those who are raising controversies are only vitiating the atmosphere.”
