Tejashwi Yadav makes sudden appearance after more than a month of poll debacle
Patna: Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav Thursday made a sudden appearance in the House after shunning public engagements for over a month after decimation of the RJD-led 'grand alliance' in the Lok Sabha elections.
Tejashwi Yadav made his maiden appearance in the ongoing monsoon session of the House on its fifth day. The session had begun on June 28.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's younger son's absence after poll results was taken kindly by the grand alliance partners.
Former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi had questioned his absence from the scene, leaving the grand alliance in lurch, after the elections.
The senior RJD leader's disappearance from the public life amid the state battling deaths of more than 150 children due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) had drawn sharp criticism.
Ruling BJP and JD(U) used the opportunity to attack Yadav calling him "ranchod" (one who runs away from battle field).
Tejashwi Yadav told reporters that he was in Delhi for treatment of his leg injury.
He said he had suffered minor fracture in one of his legs during the Lok Sabha elections campaign and had endured it without any treatment till the completion of polls.
He dismissed reports about quitting the post of leader of the opposition in the wake of the poll debacle.
"You (mediapersons) must be knowing it... why are you (media) wasting your time on rumours?" said Tejashwi Yadav, when asked about his resignation as the LoP.
He refused to comment on Congress president Rahul Gandhi's resignation. The RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM and VIP parties are part of the mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) in Bihar.
Except for one seat of Kisanganj won by the Congress, the grand alliance had drawn a blank in the state in the Lok Sabha elections, with the NDA bagging all remaining 39 seats.
Tejashwi Yadav's unavailability in the assembly had attracted caustic remarks from the NDA leaders.
While replying to the Budget debate last Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had said it was for the first time in his 30 years of parliamentary career that the leader of opposition was not present during such an important proceeding of the House.
JD(U) chief whip in the assembly Ratnesh Sada too raised the issue on Wednesday, saying the LOP has been missing from the House.
Tejashwi did not take any questions from the media Thursday, saying he would speak on the occasion of RJD's foundation day function on Friday at the party's office in the state capital.
The RJD's national executive committee meeting is to be held on Saturday at a hotel here, said Tejashwi Yadav adding several resolutions would be passed by the party on different issues during the meeting.
Earlier, after the question hour, the assembly was adjourned till lunch break amid pandemonium by the RJD and Congress members, who wanted the House to suspend other businesses and take up a debate on the prevailing drought-like condition in the state.
Both parties had given notices for adjournment motion for a debate on drought, but Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected the plea, saying rules did not permit him to allow it.
The Opposition members trooped into the Well of the House at this and created ruckus, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House till 2 pm.
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
