Union Minister Lalan Singh's 'Mutton Party' During Sawan Sparks Row, Issues Clarification
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised Union Minister Lalan Singh for allegedly hosting a mutton party during Sawan, highlighting BJP's "selective outrage".
In a fresh swipe at the BJP-led NDA, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday mocked Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh for allegedly hosting a ‘mutton party’ in Lakhisarai, part of his Munger Lok Sabha constituency, during the auspicious month of Sawan.
Tejashwi’s remarks were laced with sarcasm as he took aim at what he called the BJP's selective outrage. “Now BJP will say it's ‘punya’ that Lalan Singh is serving mutton to his workers, since he’s their ally and a Union minister. They’ll stay silent this time. When the Prime Minister visits tomorrow, I hope he comments on this — that their own minister is feeding mutton in Sawan,” he quipped, speaking to PTI.
The comment was a direct reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier criticism of Tejashwi himself, after a similar controversy erupted over his consumption of non-vegetarian food during a religious period.
Lalan Singh's Clarification
In response, Lalan Singh, a senior leader from the Janata Dal (United), attempted to quell the growing debate. “There was an inauguration event, and food was served to everyone who attended. There was nothing unusual about it,” he said, brushing off the allegations.
This isn’t the first time Bihar politics has been stirred by dietary choices during religious festivals — a recurring flashpoint in the state's political discourse.
Just last year, Tejashwi found himself at the centre of a storm after a video surfaced showing him eating fish fry during Navratri. The video, notably shared by Tejashwi himself, drew sharp criticism from several BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Modi. Tejashwi later clarified the footage was taken before the festival began and claimed it was shared intentionally to expose what he described as the "low IQ" of his detractors.
Lalu Yadav's Mutton Feast
The controversy echoes an earlier incident from two years ago, when RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav hosted a mutton feast during Sawan — an event attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. At the time, BJP leaders launched scathing attacks, using the episode as a symbol of cultural insensitivity.
Prime Minister Modi, while addressing an election rally in Udhampur, had condemned the gathering. “They visit a criminal's home — a convict out on bail — to cook mutton in Sawan. They record videos to mock traditions, evoking a Mughal-era mindset. It’s a strategy to provoke the people and polarise votes. Let them fire bullets or hurl abuses, but I must speak the truth before the nation,” Modi had declared.
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