Tejashwi Yadav, former deputy chief minister of Bihar, recently asserted that he administered an “IQ test” to BJP leaders following criticism from some members of the saffron party for allegedly not upholding the values of Sanatan while identifying himself as its son. The controversy arose after a video of Tejashwi enjoying fish went viral on social media. In the video, he is seen praising the taste of the fish brought by Mukesh Sahani during a break in the midst of an election campaign. Sahani, a former Bihar minister who recently joined the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) in alliance with the Mahagathbandhan led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), describes the fish as “Chechra” found in the Mithilanchal region, particularly in the Kosi area.
चुनावी भागदौड़ एवं व्यस्तता के बीच हेलिकॉप्टर में भोजन! दिनांक- 08/04/2024 #TejashwiYadav #bihari #politics #Bihar #biharifood #बिहार #india pic.twitter.com/JIfgbXfQpP
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) April 9, 2024
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: On his post on social media platform ‘X’ eating fish, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, “One thing that all should be clear about, from the last 3-4 days, I am continuously moving around with Mukesh Sahani. I posted it there because I wanted to take an IQ… pic.twitter.com/Lf4QNbIgKV
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2024
As the video gained traction, Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha criticized individuals who claim to adhere to Sanatan values but fail to embody them. He implied that posting a video of eating fish during Navratri, a Hindu festival, amounted to appeasement politics and disrespect towards one’s religion.
Responding to the controversy, Tejashwi clarified that he posted the video to gauge the intelligence of BJP leaders. He highlighted the date of April 8 mentioned in the video and criticized BJP leaders for not addressing crucial issues such as unemployment, migration, and poverty. He shared, “One thing that all should be clear about, from the last 3-4 days, I am continuously moving around with Mukesh Sahani. I posted it there because I wanted to take an IQ test of BJP leaders. I have discussed the date that is of April 8 in the video. They don’t have the knowledge and they never talk about issues like unemployment, migration and poverty.” It’s worth noting that after the Bihar assembly elections in 2022, Tejashwi’s supporters presented him with fish as a symbol of good luck.
