RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s son Tej Pratap (circled) and other students of BN College stage a protest against poor amenities on the institution campus in Patna on Monday. Telegraph picture

Patna, Sept. 19: Tej Pratap, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, is following his father’s footsteps. Leading a group of youths, the BA first-year student today staged a protest on the campus of BN College, demanding basic amenities for all students.

Nearly four decades ago, Lalu Prasad had started his political career as a student leader from the same college and later become the president of the Patna University Students’ Union. Lalu had done his graduation from BN College in political science, the same subject which his son is pursuing.

Tej, leading more than hundred students, staged a protest against the university administration and also demanded removal of the BN College hostel superintendent D.N. Sinha.

The students , holding placards and banners, shouted slogans against the college administration. Their main demands included repair and renovation of dilapidated hostel buildings.

Sanjeev Sardar, protesting with Tej Pratap, said: “There has been no repair and renovation of the BN College building, libraries and hostel for years. The three hostels — Shaligram, Earl and Fakruddin — are in a dilapidated condition. The hostels have no bathrooms and boarders are left with no option but to take bath in the verandah.”

Though Tej is not a hostel boarder (he lives with his parents at 10 Circular Road), his campaign in support of the college boarders is seen as an attempt to join active politics. Tej claimed that the boarders of the hostel are not provided any magazines or newspapers and there is no common room for them.

The other demands of the students included removal of hostel superintendent D.N. Sinha. They claimed Sinha had done little for boarders despite several pleas by them.

Sardar said: “The hostel superintendent, D.N. Sinha, has been holding the post of hostel superintendent for more than 15 years now but he has done little for the students’ cause.”

Sardar further said Tej’s support for students of BN College is a morale booster for boarders who have been protesting against the college administration, demanding upgrade of facilities for students.

RJD general secretary Ramkripal Yadav told The Telegraph: “Tej is raising students’ issues just like Laluji who started his political career as a students’ leader at BN College in the 70s.

“Laluji, during his student days, actively participated in students’ agitation and raised their problems,” added Yadav.

Just two moths ago, Tej Pratap, who is also pursuing a course at Bihar Flying Institute, Patna, to obtain a commercial pilot licence took admission in Bachelor of Arts, political science, at BN College.

Tej failed to clear the bachelor of business administration entrance examination at the same college.