Tejashwi Yadav Slapped With Legal Notice by Bihar Minister For Posting 'Edited' Video on Social Media

Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary on Monday slapped a legal notice on Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, alleging that the RJD scion had posted on social media an "edited" video and other messages which were "misleading" and aimed at destroying his image.

Chaudhary, who holds the building construction portfolio in Nitish Kumar cabinet, has alleged that the RJD chief ministerial candidate shared an "edited" video of his response to queries from journalists about an open letter from Yadav's jailed father Lalu Prasad addressed to the people of Bihar a day after his 73rd birthday.

The Minister, who belongs to the Dalit community, had criticised Lalu, saying the RJD chief has said in his letter that "he would continue his fight for Dalits and 'shoshit' (exploited), but he should tell the people what he actually did for them when he had power".

At one point, the minister fumbled in the alleged doctored video, and a clip lasting a fraction of a second has been played several times in which an invective is purportedly heard.

The social media posts were aimed at "destroying the impeccable reputation" of JD(U) leader Chaudhary in view of the upcoming elections in Bihar, the notice said, while asking Tejashwi Yadav to either make an unconditional apology or face legal proceedings.

Chaudhary, who had earlier served as a minister in the cabinet headed by Prasad's wife Rabri Devi from the Congress quota, fumed at the social media posts saying "Tejashwi Yadav lacks education, having given up studies after he flunked in Class 9".

"His father has set the example of gaali-galauj (abuses and invectives) which he was known to indulge in even before crowds and so the son cannot think beyond these. But those who have sufficient education do not need filthy language to inveigh against anybody," the minister said.

The notice, issued by Chaudhary's advocate Kumar Shanu, seeks immediate deletion of all such social media posts by the RJD leader and unconditional apology by Tejashwi Yadav on Facebook, Twitter and "in three leading newspapers in Bihar".

Yadav has been asked to do the needful "within 10 hours of receipt of the notice failing which my client shall be constrained to initiate criminal proceedings under the IPC and civil suit for damages".