PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has come under fire of the Opposition following his ‘erratic’ behaviour during the national anthem played at a sporting event in the state capital.
On Saturday, CPI-ML (Liberation), an ally of RJD led grand alliance, hit out at Nitish, saying that he should resign as he was unable to run the state. CPI-ML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya turned to X saying that the recent public utterances and conduct of the chief minister Nitish Kumar were sufficient to prove that he was no longer in a position to discharge his duties as the chief minister of the state.
The CPI-ML (Liberation) leader also criticised the BJP, a major ally of NDA both at the centre and in the state, for maintaining a silence over the health condition of the chief minister even though the saffron party had made it a big issue in Odisha.
“Even PM Narendra Modi had spoken about the health condition of then chief minister Naveen Patnaik. But PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were keeping mum over the health condition of Bihar chief minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar. Everybody is aware of the health condition of Nitish except PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” Dipankar said, adding that the eccentric behaviour of Nitish during an official function in Patna on Thursday showed that he was not in a position to run the state.
Earlier in the day, RJD pasted posters outside the residence of former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi criticising Nitish Kumar for disrespecting to the national anthem. The posters, featuring the words ‘Nayak nahi khalnayak hoon main’ (I am not a hero, I am a villain), aimed at expressing the party’s growing discontent with Nitish’s actions. RJD workers also burnt the effigies of the chief minister at district headquarters to vent their protest against the CM’s erratic behaviour and causing disrespect to the national anthem in full public view.
The controversy erupted after a purported video went viral on social media, showing Nitish speaking and greeting while the national anthem played at an official function in the state capital on Thursday. The video caused a backlash, with many calling out the chief minister for disrespecting the national anthem. A complaint petition was also filed in a Muzaffarpur court, seeking action against the chief minister for disrespecting the national anthem.
The petition sought action under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act. On the other hand, RJD national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad defended the chief minister saying that the Opposition has no issue against the ruling NDA, so they were raising such issues.
“There is nothing objectionable. The Opposition is unnecessarily blowing it out of proportion,” a JD(U) spokesperson said. He claimed that Nitish was is 100 per cent physically and mentally fit to run the state.
“There is no need to conduct his medical examination and a health bullet on his health, as demanded by some opposition leaders,” he told the media.
On Friday, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kumar said that the government should issue a medical bulletin on the health condition of Nitish. “This is a serious issue as it is related to the fate of nearly 13 crore people of Bihar,” he remarked.