Fish During Navratri? Tejashwi Responds To Backlash, Says 'Was Checking IQ Of BJP's Blind...'

New Delhi: In a recent social media post that has stirred up a political whirlwind, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, uploaded a video of himself enjoying a fish meal with Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni. This act has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused Yadav of disrespecting the Navratri festival by consuming fish during this period. Taking to X, the former Deputy CM has said that the video clearly mentions that it was shot before Navratri began and "it was done to test the IQ of BJP and Godi Media."

"We had uploaded this video to test the IQ of the BJP and Godi media followers and we were proved right in our thinking. The tweet says “Date” i.e. Date but what do the poor blind followers know? At the end, Sahni ji has also mentioned about applying chilli (meaning BJP would be irked)" he clarified.

भाजपाइयों और गोदी मीडिया के भक्तों के IQ का टेस्ट लेने के लिए ही हमने यह video डाला था और हम अपनी सोच में सही भी साबित हुए। ट्वीट में “दिनांक” यानि Date लिखा हुआ है, लेकिन बेचारे अंधभक्तों को क्या मालूम? आख़िर में सहनी जी द्वारा मिर्ची लगने का भी जिक्र किया गया है। https://t.co/SmQVLcQgyp — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) April 10, 2024

Mukesh Sahni, in response to the controversy surrounding the fish-eating video, defended their actions by stating, “It’s food, so why shouldn’t we eat it? If some people are offended, what can I do? This video is from April. What to eat is surely decided by the person who is eating.”

The RJD leader criticized the BJP for not speaking on critical issues such as unemployment, migration, and poverty, but instead, choosing to vociferously engage in unnecessary matters.

The video in question was shared by Tejashwi Yadav during an election campaign, where he and Mukesh Sahni were seen having fish and bread in a helicopter. This video prompted a fierce attack from Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha.

Bihar Deputy CM and BJP leader Vijay Sinha expressed his disappointment, saying, “These people want to appear as followers of Sanatan Dharma but have failed to learn its values. They eat mutton during Sawan and fish during Navratri. They have stooped so low for votes. They shame religion and culture. They insult our dharma.”

Union Minister Giriraj Singh also weighed in, labeling Tejashwi Yadav as a “seasonal follower of Sanatan Dharma and a nurturer of appeasement.” He accused, “When their government was in power, for the sake of votes, his father illegally settled Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators. They are traders of votes, not priests of Sanatan Dharma. They practice politics of appeasement under the guise of Sanatan Dharma.”