Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar faced backlash after a controversial remark to RJD MLA Rekha Paswan during a heated Assembly session about reservation laws.
In Short:
- Nitish Kumar's remark to Rekha Paswan caused an uproar.
- Opposition demanded reservation laws in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
- Nitish highlighted his efforts on caste survey and quota increases.
- The remark drew criticism for being misogynistic.
- Tejashwi Yadav condemned Nitish's repeated inappropriate comments about women.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s recent comments directed at RJD MLA Rekha Paswan in the Bihar Assembly have caused significant controversy. During a session where opposition members demanded that the state’s amended reservation laws be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to protect them from judicial review, Kumar lost his temper.
In response to Paswan’s interjection, Kumar remarked, “You are a woman, you don’t know anything. Sit down and listen.” This statement came amidst heated debates about the inclusion of reservation laws in the Ninth Schedule, aimed at increasing protections for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and extremely backward classes.
महिला हो कुछ जानती हो? महिलाओं पर ओछी, गैर वांछित, असभ्य, अशिष्ट एवं निम्नस्तरीय टिप्पणियाँ करना मा॰ मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार की आदत में शुमार हो चुका है। प्रदेश के लिए यह अत्यधिक गंभीर व चिंतनीय विषय है।
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 24, 2024
CM ने कुछ दिन पूर्व आदिवासी वर्ग की BJP की महिला MLA पर भी सुंदरता संबंधित… pic.twitter.com/XdTiok7uIU
Despite the opposition’s protests and slogan-chanting, Kumar reiterated his role in initiating a caste survey that led to increased quotas for these groups. He stated that the Patna High Court had set aside the reservation laws, and his government had approached the Supreme Court. Additionally, a formal request was made to the Centre to include these laws in the Ninth Schedule.
The opposition, however, continued their protest, leading to Kumar’s outburst. His comment to Paswan, perceived as misogynistic, has drawn widespread criticism. RJD leader and former deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav condemned the remark, calling it a habit for Kumar to make “cheap, unwanted, uncivilized, rude, and low-level comments on women.”
Yadav pointed out that this was not an isolated incident, citing a previous inappropriate comment Kumar made about a BJP woman MLA from the tribal class. He expressed concern over the pattern of such comments, highlighting the seriousness of the issue for the state.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of Kumar’s political maneuverings, including his split with NDA to join RJD in 2022 and a subsequent return to the NDA in 2024. The incident underscores ongoing tensions and challenges within Bihar’s political landscape.