Don't buy new cars, exchange greetings with 'namaste' or 'aadab': Tejashwi Yadav tells RJD ministers

New Delhi: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday (August 20, 2022) came out with a list of directives for ministerial colleagues of his party and told them to not buy any new cars and to exchange greetings with a "namaste" or an "aadab". Facing the heat over criminal cases pending against many ministers, Tejashwi, the younger son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, also asked RJD lawmakers to conduct themselves "with dignity and humility" and give priority to helping the poor "irrespective of their religion and caste".

"The Rashtriya Janata Dal Ministers in the government will not buy any new vehicle for themselves in the department," Yadav said in a Facebook post.

"The ministers of Rashtriya Janata Dal will not allow the workers, well-wishers, supporters, or any other person older than them to touch their feet," one of the six instructions read.

"Please also promote the exchange of books or pens in place of bouquets," Yadav said.

Encourage probity, transparency, and quick action and make use of social media to apprise the people of the government's initiatives, one of the 12 instructions read.

In the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar Cabinet, 16 are from RJD, the largest party in the state assembly.

The BJP, which has been in a sulk over the sudden loss of power after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar quit NDA alleging attempts at splitting his JD(U), reacted to the directives with sarcasm.

"The script is well written. But who is going to read and understand... Nonetheless, in the interests of Bihar we appeal to the ministers to heed the advice of Tejashwi bhai," state BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said.