Our ministers are masters of goof-ups. Forever politically incorrect, they just don’t miss an opportunity to make a fool of themselves. Jharkhand Education Minister Neera Yadav gave a shraddhanjali – floral tributes to former President APJ Abdul Kalam at an event in a school in Kodarma. According to Hindu tradition, the floral tribute and applying kumkum on the photo is something which is predominantly done to pay respect to a person after his death. It is considered inauspicious to do it while someone is alive.

It is surprising that no body, including BJP MLA Manish Jaiswal and the principal of the school who were present at that time raised any question regarding a living person’s picture being garlanded.

Shradhanjali: Jharkhand minister thinks APJ Kalam is dead, gives him floral tribute

Ignoring the fact that Kalam is alive, Yadav went on to pay her respects to the ‘Missile Man of India’ by putting a garland around his framed photograph and keeping a coconut in front of it in proper ‘shradhanjali’ style.

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After paying homage, Neera Yadav, the chief guest at the event was inaugurating smart classes at the school. This bizarre incident raised questions over the lack of cultural knowledge of the Education Minister and the picture has gone viral.

Check out some online reactions below:

Jharkhand’s Education Minister thinks APJ Abdul Kalam is dead. Why do all the BJP’s ‘education ministers’ appear to have skipped school?

— lindsay pereira (@lindsaypereira) July 22, 2015

Jharkhand’s Education Minister pays homage to APJ Abdul Kalam Its the reason we need to set a minimum qualification for contesting elections

— Deepak Pal (@Deepakpal) July 22, 2015

BJP govt in Jharkhand. Their education minister pays tribute to Ex president Kalam sir. This is a huge goof-up. pic.twitter.com/mrds0fO3F7

— Drunkard Mehta (@DaaruBaazMehta) July 22, 2015

Jharkhand’s Education Minister thinks APJ Abdul Kalam is dead. Why do all the BJP’s ‘education ministers’ appear to have skipped school?

— lindsay pereira (@lindsaypereira) July 22, 2015

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After much criticism, Yadav said that garlanding great leaders in schools is also means to honour them and that there is nothing objectionable in garlanding Kalam’s photo as he is a great scientist.

An Education Minister, at an event in a school, must brush up her general knowledge before garlanding major leaders of the country who are still very much alive.