Patna: Tensions flared in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while replying to the Governor’s address on the third day of the budget session, launched a sharp attack on the opposition RJD. Comparing his tenure with the previous RJD governments, Kumar’s remarks provoked protests from opposition MLAs, leading to heated exchanges in the house.
As RJD legislators interrupted his speech, Nitish turned his attention to Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, dismissing him as “still a child” and asserting that it was his party that had made Tejashwi’s father, Lalu Prasad, the chief minister. The comment triggered further uproar, with opposition members intensifying their protest.
Doubling down on his criticism, CM Nitish accused the RJD of failing to maintain law and order during its rule before 2005. “Back then, no one dared step outside their homes after dark. When we visited our constituencies, we had to go on foot,” he said, claiming that his government had brought stability to Bihar.
The chief minister also attacked the RJD over its engagement with Muslim voters, alleging that while the party relied on their support, it had done little for them. He credited his government with improving the community’s security by fencing graveyards and preventing communal violence. Referring to the 1989 Bhagalpur riots, Nitish said his administration had taken decisive action against those responsible, resolving long-standing grievances of affected Muslim families.
At one point, as Tejashwi Yadav attempted to interject, Nitish lost his temper, reiterating his claim that the JD(U) had played a key role in Lalu Prasad’s rise. “We made your father the chief minister, even when members of your own caste objected. He wanted to sideline the extremely backward classes in favour of just the backward classes, and we opposed that—so we walked away,” he said.
