At a time when the Patna High Court and Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have expressed serious concern over the rising pollution in the capital, the State’s Health Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Friday prescribed “horse-riding” to curb pollution and to skirt traffic jams.
Hitting the Patna streets on a horse, the Minister reminded many city residents of former bahubali (strongman) and JD(U) legislator (now Independent MLA from Mokama), Anant Singh, who was often seen riding on his horses or horse-drawn carriages in the VIP zones of the capital. “There is so much pollution and traffic jams because of so many vehicles… its better to ride a horse,” said the Health Minister.
Astride a brown stallion in jeans and a pullover outside his parents’ residence, 10 Circular Road, the young Minister and Mahua MLA took everyone by surprise. . Security personnel followed him on foot and on horseback. According to sources close to Mr. Tej Pratap, the horses were hired from the Bihar Military Police (BMP), which has a mounted force, on the Minister’s request.
The cavalcade stopped at 5, Deshratna Marg, which reportedly has been allotted to Mr Tej Pratap him as Minister, though he has not moved in.
Later, the Minister returned in a car to the 10 Circular Road residence while giving byte to the mediapersons.