Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaks during the state Legislative Assembly session, in Patna, Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday drew flak from the RJD for shouting at opposition women members inside the Assembly.
Kumar’s outburst came as opposition members stood in the Well of the House, demanding that the state's amended reservation laws be incorporated in the 9th schedule of the Constitution to make it immune from legal scrutiny.
Women legislators of the RJD were also in the Well shouting slogans like “Nitish Kumar Hai Hai (down with Nitish Kumar)”, besides accusing the chief minister of being anti-reservation.
The septuagenarian chief minister lost his cool.
Waving his fingers at the legislators, especially at Rekha Devi of RJD, Kumar shouted, "You are a woman. Do you realise that it was only after I assumed power that women started getting their dues in Bihar? You are a woman, (still) you do not know anything. If you say Hai Hai to me, then it’s Hai Hai for all," said the furious CM.
"It was at my instance that you all agreed to a caste survey after which quotas for SC, ST, OBCs and the extremely backward classes were hiked," said Kumar.
He told the House that after the Patna High Court set aside the reservation laws, the state moved the Supreme Court.
“A formal request has also been made to the Centre for including those in the 9th schedule," Kumar said.
The Bihar government urged the Centre to incorporate the hiked reservation for deprived castes from 50 to 65 per cent in state government jobs and educational institutions in the 9th schedule of the Constitution.
The 9th Schedule includes a list of Central and state laws that cannot be challenged in courts. In 1992, the Supreme Court capped reservations for the backward classes at 50 per cent.
Outside the house, RJD members slammed the chief minister for his behaviour inside the House against woman legislators.
Leader of the opposition in the state legislative council, Rabri Devi, said, “This has not happened for the first time with the CM. People know that he (CM) has no respect for women. Whatever he has done today in the assembly, is sheer insult to women.
Leaders of the NDA do not respect women, the former chief minister alleged.
“Only RJD and I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders have respect for women,” she claimed.
Talking to PTI, RJD MLA Rekha Devi said, “Whatever Nitish Kumar ji said today in the assembly is insulting to a woman… We are here today because of our leader and party supremo Lalu Prasad and not because of Nitish Kumar. He has insulted a Dalit legislator today in the house. It seems that he (CM) has no control over his mind.”