Tejashwi has brought ‘disgrace’ to family by marrying a Christian, says uncle
The wedding of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad’s younger son earlier this week, to which many relatives were not invited, has left at least one prominent member of the family angry.
Sadhu Yadav, the once loyal younger brother of Lalu’s wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, has joined issue with his nephew Tejashwi marrying a Christian.
The former MP’s litany of allegations against his brother-in-law includes “financing” Bollywood blockbuster Gangaajal, which re-launched the career of producer-director Prakash Jha.
The movie’s antagonist was, incidentally, named ‘Sadhu Yadav’ which, his namesake claims, was a ploy by his sister’s husband to “defame and get rid of me”.
Interestingly, the first and only stint enjoyed by Sadhu as a Lok Sabha member came in 2004, a year after the movie was released, when he got elected from Gopalganj on an RJD ticket.
The uncle has now claimed that both his nephews have been dissolute, “a fact every official in Bihar, even Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is aware of”.
“Because of the disgrace Tej Pratap and Tejashwi have brought to the family their younger relatives are finding it difficult to find a match,” he said.
Tej, the elder of the two brothers, has reacted with impetuosity. In a risqué tweet in Bhojpuri, he has warned his uncle against “coming out of your trousers”.
हम नही है पास फिर भी मेरा आशीर्वाद है दोनो के साथ?? congratulations tutu nd Rachel ?Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!?? pic.twitter.com/JF567vMqyL
— Rohini Acharya (@RohiniAcharya2) December 9, 2021
One of Lalu’s daughters, Rohini Acharya, who lives in Singapore but retains an interest in the power play back home, came out with a social media post likening her maternal uncle to ‘Kansa’, the mythical demon king of Mathura whom Lord Krishna had to slay despite ties of blood.
In the midst of the family drama, the BJP, which is the JD(U)’s principal ally, has come out with its own complaint against the marriage.
BJP OBC Morcha national secretary and state spokesman Nikhil Anand has tweeted that Tejashwi should have “dared more” and married the girl he loved “without making her change her religion”. Nobody from Lalu’s family has said Rachel Iris, Tejashwi’s wife, converted to Hinduism before the wedding.
Notably, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar have been strong votaries of ghar waapasi of Indian Muslims and Christians.
Meanwhile, Tejashwi, who is now the party’s de facto leader, may take a month off.
His family’s close aide and former MLA Bhola Yadav has said that the leader of the opposition is now likely to return to home turf not until next month since the inauspicious ‘Kharmas’ period starts on December 14 and bringing a new bride to her marital home during the period is avoided.
