Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came under opposition attack again after he was caught on camera laughing and talking during the national anthem at a sports event in Patna today. His former deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who has pulled no punches after the Chief Minister ditched his Rashtriya Janata Dal twice, accused him of insulting the state and the nation.
At the inauguration of the Sepaktakraw World Cup in Patna's Pataliputra Sports Complex today, Nitish Kumar was caught on camera laughing and talking to IAS officer and Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar, who stood ramrod straight next to him on the dais.
He was seen tapping the officer on his shoulder and trying to get his attention. At one point, all smiles, he folded his palms in a namaskar at someone in the audience.
Deepak Kumar was seen pulling at the Chief Minister's sleeves to get him to stay still.
Earlier, Mr Kumar had walked off the dais when the national anthem was announced and went to shale hands with the participants.
As the video of the anthem went viral, the opposition lost no time to flood social media with criticism.
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— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 20, 2025
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"At least please do not insult the national anthem, Hon'ble Chief Minister. You insult youth, students, women and elderly people every day. Sometimes you clap on Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom day and mock his martyrdom, and sometimes you clap on the national anthem!" read a post by Mr Yadav on X, formerly Twitter.
"PS: Let me remind you that you are the Chief Minister of a big state. You are not mentally and physically stable even for a few seconds and your being in this position in such an unconscious state is a matter of great concern for the state. Do not insult Bihar like this again and again," he added.
Mr Yadav's father Lalu Yadav also posted the video on X. The caption read, "India will not tolerate insult to the national anthem. People of Bihar, is there anything left now?"
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— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) March 20, 2025
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Mr Kumar and his party are yet to respond on the matter. Sources in Mr Kumar's Janata Dal United indicated that to avert a possible row in the state assembly over this, the Chief Minister can tender an unconditional apology tomorrow.
Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Nitish Kumar's ally in the NDA, has hit back.
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— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) March 20, 2025
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"People who are insulting the country including Bihar are raising questions on the Honorable Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar," read his post on X.
"I would like to tell such people that Lalu Ji and Company had made the name of our state "Bihar" an abuse but it is Nitish Kumar Ji who gave respect to Bihar on the international platform. On one hand, people of Bihar shudder at the memory of Laluji's rule, on the other hand, Nitish Kumar was Bihar's favourite yesterday, is so today and will remain so in the future too. Nitish Kumar is the honour of Bihar," he added.
This is not the first faux pas by the Chief Minister on a solemn occasion. On January 30 this year, he was caught clapping after paying floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.
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