Patna: It took a midnight intervention by the Patna police Sunday for Aishwarya Rai, the estranged daughter-in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, to get back in her matrimonial home after a standoff between Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi and the former’s parents reportedly stretched for nearly 11 hours.
“The intervention was made after the Aishwarya’s father Chandrika Rai met (Bihar) DGP Gupteshwar Pandey,” a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint.
Aishwarya is married to Yadav’s son Tej Pratap, who has filed for divorce and the case is proceeding in a family court.
On Sunday, a high-profile drama unfolded in full public view after Aishwarya complained to her parents that she had been beaten up by her in-laws and pushed out of their Patna residence, 10 Circular Road.
Rai, a former minister and senior RJD leader, told ThePrint, “I saw my daughter pushed out. She had been locked in her room and even denied food.” He accused Rabri Devi and her daughter and MP Misa Bharti of indulging in domestic violence against his daughter.
Aishwarya said, “I was locked in my room and not given food. Even the jewellery given to me by my parents has been snatched from me.” She also blamed her sister-in-law Misa Bharti for trying to sabotage her relationship with her husband.
She added, “Misa Bharti also does not want her younger brother Tejashwi Yadav to grow politically.”
However, Bharti, who is in New Delhi, expressed surprise over the charges levelled by Aishwarya. “There appears to be a political conspiracy to defame our family,” she told reporters.
The family dispute
According to sources close to Aishwarya Rai’s family, she was allowed to go to her room late Sunday night only after she gave a written statement that she would not “murder” Rabri Devi.
“It was a demand made by Rabri Devi which Aishwarya complied with,” said a family friend, who added that she may be shifting out of the family residence soon.
“She was staying there because the charges made against her by Tej Pratap were false and demeaning,” he added.
Aishwarya, a post graduate from Delhi’s Amity University, got married to Tej Pratap, an undergraduate, in May last year in a high profile ceremony attended by the who’s who of Bihar. However, Pratap filed a divorce petition in the family court in Patna by November, citing incompatibility and cruelty as grounds.
The latest incident has created political ripples in Bihar with BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand calling it “shameful” and JDU MLA Dadan Yadav blaming Yadav’s family for the incident.
Even RJD leaders are weary. Being the granddaughter of former Bihar chief minister Daroga Prasad Rai, Aishwarya too has a political legacy.
“Now that the family dispute has come out in the open it can have an adverse impact on the party,” remarked an RJD MLA who didn’t wish to be named. He added that the dispute may cost the party dearly.