A Bihar police constable has been removed from his position as the official bodyguard of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Tej Pratap Yadav after a viral video showed him dancing in uniform on the MLA’s instructions during Holi celebrations.
The Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) issued the dismissal order for Constable Deepak Kumar on Sunday, citing misconduct in a public place while in uniform. The directive stated that Kumar was reassigned to the police center and replaced by another constable.
The video, widely circulated on social media, features Hasanpur MLA Tej Pratap Yadav, the eldest son of RJD founder and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, allegedly instructing his bodyguard to dance under the threat of suspension.
In the clip, Yadav is heard saying, "Ae sipahi, ae Deepak, abhi ek gana bajaenge jis par tumko thumka lagana padega. Nahin lagaoge toh tumko suspend kar denge. Bura na mano, Holi hai" (We are about to play a song, and you will have to dance. If you don’t, you will be suspended. Don’t mind, it’s Holi). The constable, complying with the instructions, was seen dancing, triggering criticism from various political circles.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a key ally in the ruling Nitish Kumar-led coalition, strongly condemned Yadav’s actions, calling them a reflection of "RJD’s culture" and a throwback to the Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi era when, according to BJP vice-president Santosh Pathak, disrespect toward law enforcement was rampant.
The BJP accused the RJD of undermining the dignity of police personnel and using them for entertainment.
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Tej Pratap Yadav did not offer a direct comment but took to social media to defend himself. In a post on X, he wrote, "Bura na maano Holi hai… Aapsi bhaichare ke us parv ko bhi BJP aur RSS ke saath hi inki ye Godi Media ne Holi mein aaj nafrat ka ek naya rang de diya hai… Police wale bhai ho ya koi virodhi dal ke neta, sabse bhaichare aur utsah ke saath bura na maano Holi parv manane par bhi siyasat karna yahi inka dharm ban chuka hai. Desh ki janta jald inko sabak sikhayegi." (This festival of mutual brotherhood has been given a colour of hatred by the BJP, RSS, and their biased media. Whether it’s a police officer or an Opposition leader, they are politicizing Holi instead of celebrating it in unity. The people of the country will soon teach them a lesson.)
Meanwhile, the RJD defended Yadav, arguing that too much was being read into an "innocuous request" made during the festival. Party spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari dismissed the controversy as an attempt to divert attention from recent incidents involving the deaths of two policemen on duty.
He stated that the BJP and its allies were using the video to shift focus from more pressing issues affecting law enforcement in the state.
Also Read: Tej Pratap Yadav’s 'thumka' order to cop sparks controversy
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