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 occurred when opposition members, including women legislators from the RJD, gathered in the well of the House, demanding that the state’s amended reservation laws be added to the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to shield them from judicial review.The RJD women legislators were vocally protesting, chanting “Nitish Kumar Hai Hai” (Down with Nitish Kumar).In a furious response, Kumar directed his ire particularly towards Rekha Devi of the RJD, saying, “You are a woman. Do you realize that women only started receiving their due under my leadership? Despite being a woman, you seem unaware. If you chant Hai Hai against me, it is Hai Hai for everyone.”Kumar defended his record, stating that it was his initiative that led to the agreement on a caste survey, resulting in increased quotas for SC, ST, OBC, and extremely backward classes. He added that after the Patna High Court invalidated the reservation laws, the state appealed to the Supreme Court and formally requested the Centre to include the laws in the 9th Schedule.The Chief Minister’s remarks and his conduct in the assembly have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition.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.”Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Opposition leader in Bihar Tejashwi Yadav slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his alleged anti-women comment made during his address in the state assembly. “You are a woman, do you know anything? Making cheap, unwanted, uncivilized, rude and low-level comments on women has become a habit of Hon’ble Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. This is a very serious and worrying issue for the state,”Yadav wrote on X.
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