Instead of attacking him for eating fish, Tejashwi tells PM to speak up on poverty, unemployment, inflation

A viral video showing Tejashwi Yadav eating fish fry has created political turmoil and triggered a national debate, with BJP leaders accusing him of hurting Hindu sentiments.

A viral video showing Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav eating fish fry on the eve of Chaitra Navratri has created political turmoil and triggered a national debate, with BJP leaders accusing him of hurting Hindu sentiments. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped into the fray this week, Mr. Yadav hit back on Saturday, asking Mr. Modi to focus on jobs, inflation, and poverty rather than diverting attention from such “real issues”.

On April 9, the first day of the Navratri fast, Mr. Yadav posted a video on his X account, showing him in a poll campaign helicopter eating fish fry with ally and Vikasheel Insaan Party leader Mukesh Sahani. The post mentioned that the footage was shot on April 8, the day before Navratri began, and the video described how the political leaders were managing to keep fed and hydrated during the scorching heat of a summer campaign by drinking lots of liquids like watermelon juice, wood apple juice, and sattu (roasted gram mixed).

As BJP leaders in Bihar expressed their outrage against the “anti-Sanatana” act, Mr. Modi raised the stakes to a national debate by commenting on the incident at an election rally in Jammu on April 12. Without naming Mr. Yadav, he slammed Opposition leaders who publicised meat eating during the Navratri fasting period, accusing them of having a “Mughal mindset”. He also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for allegedly eating mutton during the holy month of Shravan last year.

Mr. Yadav had initially responded on X on the morning of April 10, saying, “I had posted the video to test the IQ level of BJP leaders and Bhakt of Godi Media and my thought was right. In the tweet, I had also mentioned the date but the poor Andhbhakth (blind follower) did not get it.”

Later in the day, he posted another video showing him eating oranges with Mr. Sahani, with a mocking caption: “Hello friends, today we are having an orange party in the helicopter, will they get irritated by the color of oranges?” In the video, Mr. Sahani said, “Today, we are having oranges and I assume that BJP leaders will be having stomach pain and will connect oranges with religion. Don’t they want us to eat? They want the extremely backward and backward people to eat salt and roti.”

Asked about the PM’s comments, Mr. Yadav said on Saturday: “I have been talking about jobs, inflation, poverty and unemployment for a long time but the Prime Minister does not take notice of public issues. He just wants to make his Mann Ki Baat heard. What did they give to Bihar in 10 years? Why did he not fulfil his promises? They do not talk about these things and talk about other things to divert attention from the real issues. The people of Bihar are very intelligent and will teach a lesson to the BJP in the Lok Sabha election.”

The only time when the people of Bihar completely shun meat is during the Chhath festival, considered the State’s biggest and most pious religious celebration.