‘Have videos, don’t want to malign her image’: Tej Pratap Yadav on marital dispute

RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav filed for divorce within months of his marriage in 2018 and has been hugely criticised by his in-laws

PATNA: Former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav has alleged that there was a smear campaign against him in connivance with his former relatives, a reference to his estranged wife’s family, to victimise him and his family.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Tej Pratap Yadav alleged there was a smear campaign against him to hurt his image (HT File Photo/Santosh Kumar)

Yadav, 34, who filed a plea for divorce four years ago, went live on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening, said he has evidence to hit back at his wife’s family but hadn’t because he didn’t want to malign her image.

In the Facebook video, Tej Pratap, the elder son of former chief ministers, Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, said he has many video clippings that show his mother was physically and verbally tortured, and his father, brother and sister were abused.

“I don’t want to malign her image as she is a woman and I always have high regard for women. As it is a very sensitive matter, I am avoiding putting it in the public domain,” Tej Pratap said.

But he warned that if the campaign against him didn’t stop, he may not hold himself back.

Yadav filed for divorce months after his marriage to Ashwariya Rai, daughter of politician Chandrika Rai in 2018. Her father, who was in the Rashtriya Janata Dal, crossed over to the Janata Dal United in 2020 and contested the assembly elections from Parsa constituency in Saran district but lost.

Tej Pratap underlined that Patna’s family court had barred the media from reporting the divorce proceedings “ some media outlets are violating the court’s order”.

He also claimed that they (he did not name anyone) are demanding crores of rupees and victimising him. “There is a conspiracy to ruin my image. They are also trying to destroy my family,” he said, reiterating his appeal not to public incorrect information about the case.

“I have faith and trust only in the judiciary and he (judge) will solve my plight,” he added.