Laxmi Narayan got his shoelace tied by a government employee at a yoga event yesterday.

Highlights Laxmi Narayan got his shoelace tied at a yoga event in Shahjahanpur

He is minister of minority affairs and dairy development in UP government

He has justified the incident, saying the gesture should be appreciated

A minister in the Uttar Pradesh government courted controversy after he was seen getting his shoelace tied by a government employee at a yoga event on Friday.

Laxmi Narayan, minister of minority affairs and dairy development in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, is seen in a video standing casually along with his supporters as the government employee ties his shoe laces at a yoga event in Shahjahanpur, about 170 kms from state capital Lucknow. The event was part of the fifth International Yoga Day celebrations that saw participation from several union ministers and foreign dignitaries performing various yoga asanas or postures across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also performed yoga at an event in Ranchi on Friday morning.

#WATCH: UP Minister Laxmi Narayan gets his shoelace tied by a government employee at a yoga event in Shahjahanpur, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/QbVxiQM7bI - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 22, 2019

It is not clear whether the video was shot before or after the yoga event.

The minister has justified the incident, saying the gesture of someone helping him wear his shoes should be appreciated. "India was a country where Bharat ruled Lord Ram's kingdom for 14 years with the kharau (wooden slippers) of the latter on the throne. This (the gesture of someone helping him wear his shoes) should be appreciated," he said quoting the Ramayana.

Laxmi Narayan is no stranger to controversies. Last year, while participating in the Deepotsav festival, he had claimed that Lord Ram had helped India became a global superpower. Later that year, he had said that Lord Hanuman was a "jat", claiming his his assessment was based on the fact that this popular Hindu god has traits similar to the Jat community.