PATNA: The Mount Bihar Friday was thrown into confusion following an unusually angry outburst from the prime minister Nitish kumar after having stoically listened to the barbs and accusations of the opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Nitish Kumar, who is known for his composure and impeccable manners during his four terms in office, was seen standing up and yelling jhooth bol raha hai yeh (he is telling a lie).
Kumar, who chose not to react when the 31-year-old RJD leader made a series of personal attacks and accusations in his nearly hour-long speech, erupted in anger when the latter tried to intervene during a statement made by JD (U) leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.
Chaudhary had expressed his disapproval of the references made by Yadav in his speech to a murder case in which Kumar had been named defendant, a plagiarism case brought by a JNU scholar regarding a book published by a group of experts with Patna-based headquarters that was endorsed by the prime minister, in addition to the Srijan scam that is being investigated by the IWC.
Yadav got up in his chair and said: “It was a serious matter that I raised on the basis of the facts.” Isn’t it true that the prime minister had to pay a fine in connection with the murder case?
The young leader’s interjection turned out to be the proverbial last straw for the prime minister, who stood up and shouted: “You are telling a lie.” I challenge the president to examine the veracity of his statement and take the necessary action. I have been listening to his tirade simply because he is the son of a friend whom I treat like a brother.
Do you know how your father (Lalu prasad) became prime minister? Have you forgotten who appointed you deputy CM? I had to separate simply because he ignored my advice to explain things, Kumar said shaking with anger.
In particular, Nitish Kumar was among the leaders of the former Janata Dal who had supported Lalu Prasad in the elections for the leader of the legislative party in 1990, where the latest victory against veteran leaders Ram Sundar Das and Raghunath Jha had allowed the then Chhapra MP to become Bihar’s chief minister and script a political success story.
After remaining bitterly opposed for more than a decade thereafter, Kumar and Prasad had teamed up with the goal of defeating the BJP in 2015. The Grand Alliance they had formed leading to Congress, won the assembly elections held that year. .
In 2017, Yadav’s name emerged in a money laundering scheme and the RJD’s outright refusal to heed the demands for the resignation of the young leader, who had become the senior deputy minister at just 26 years old, caused Kumar to leave the Grand Alliance and return to the NDA.
When I asked (Yadav) to explain things to me, he didn’t because he couldn’t. Now a charge sheet has even been filed against him. What nonsense are you saying (Yadav)? Don’t I know you well enough? Kumar said as the House erupted into pandemonium.
Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
Later, when the House resumed, Kumar delivered a speech in response to the government’s debate on the governors’ speech to the newly constituted assembly.
He said that the opposition has the right to have their aspirations but that the maryada (decorum) should never be violated.
He also tried to dismiss doubts about his ability to keep communalism in check in the face of his tie to BJP, which has come back with a count higher than his JD (U).
People may not remember that when I co-founded the Samata Party with the late George Fernandes, our first coalition partner was the CPI (ML), he said referring to the ultra-left group that is now an ally of RJD.
I know well that each political party has its own style of operation, but my commitment to social harmony is not affected. And I will continue with my development agenda as well, “said Kumar.
“Members of the Chamber are welcome to draw my attention to any deficiencies in the implementation of the schemes. The necessary actions will be taken,” he added.
The motion of appreciation for the governor’s speech was later approved by voice vote in the Assembly.
On video: Nitish Kumar loses his cool during Bihar assembly session as Tejashwi denounces old murder charges
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