Trust horses and chariots to do the trick for the JD(U)-RJD Government in Bihar what the AAP Government seeks to achieve through its odd-even formula in Delhi, that of keeping air pollution in check.
Out to implement the novel idea was the first-time Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, who holds the crucial Health portfolio in the Nitish Kumar Government and enjoys blessings of his party for being RJD boss lalu Prasad’s elder son.
Suggesting this to be the way forward to rid Patna of pollution, the young Turk surprised the rank and file of his party and the Ministry when he gave a go-by to his official car and his own expensive bike and chose a horse instead to cover a distance of hardly half a kilometre from his residence situated at 10, Circular Road to his official bungalow at 5, Deshratna Marg on Friday. The Minister arrived at his official residence to celebrate Christmas.
Not surprisingly, his move drew sharp criticism from Opposition BJP. leader of Opposition Prem Kumar of BJP said Tej Pratap was enjoying pleasure rides at a time when patients need improved facilities in hospitals which lacked infrastructure and medicines.
Tej Pratap, who holds the Number 3 slot in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet, only next to his younger brother and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad, has never been seen galloping on the streets earlier.
It was quite a sight to see the Minister atop a brown stallion that was brought from the Mounted Police Force of Bihar Military Police. He was accompanied by a posse of security personnel and a trained jockey mounted on another horse.
Yadav denied he is new to horse riding. “When my mom (Rabri Devi) was Chief Minister and I was still a kid I used to ride horse. I enjoyed horse-riding which I have done after many years. But today I am on horseback after a long time,” Yadav told mediapersons.
The Mahua MlA who is also Minister of Environment and Forests, said horse riding as well as cycling should be promoted to save the environment and minimise pollution. “Growing vehicular pollution is a matter of serious concern. People should reduce use of vehicles,” he added. Minutes later, as Christmas celebrations ended at the official residence, Tej Pratap was seen zip past the gate in his official diesel-driven SUV.
Stallions are a permanent fixture of Yadavs as lalu Prasad has a habit of keeping them at his residence besides bovines, dogs and birds. lalu’s favourite horse Badal was traded at the Sonepur cattle fair a few years ago.
And the buyer, although through a decoy, was none other than the then controversial JD(U) MlA Anant Singh, who had been at regular intervals creating a stir by riding horses on city’s busy thoroughfares.
Incidentally, just before the Assembly election, lalu ensured that Singh was booked in a kidnapping and murder case and sent to jail.
Singh was also expelled from the JD(U) but he contested from his seat Mokamah as Independent and won.
