What Caused the Uproar in the Bihar Assembly Between CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Intense political debate marked the Bihar Assembly session.
- Tejashwi Yadav raised concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement.
- CM Nitish Kumar defended his administration's record.
- The uproar signifies rising political tensions in Bihar.
- Future electoral processes are under scrutiny.
Patna, July 23 (NationPress) During the third day of the Bihar Assembly's monsoon session, the House erupted in significant chaos as a fierce debate ensued between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list.
Tejashwi Yadav contended that the opposition does not oppose SIR itself, but rather the method being implemented by the Election Commission, which he claimed instills fear among migrant voters regarding potential removal from the voter list.
He emphasized that economically disadvantaged individuals lack the 11 documents mandated under SIR and questioned the role of the Election Commission in verifying citizenship.
“The role of the Election Commission is to ensure fair elections, not to establish citizenship,” Tejashwi stated.
Tejashwi also accused the Deputy Chief Ministers of leaking sensitive information.
In response, CM Nitish Kumar, clearly irritated, reminded Tejashwi of the Lalu-Rabri government, saying: “Your father served as CM for 7 years, followed by your mother. What was Bihar’s condition during that time? You (Tejashwi) are young; you don’t understand anything.”
The CM highlighted the developmental initiatives undertaken during his administration and remarked that the opposition can claim “whatever nonsense” during election periods.
Deputy CM Vijay Sinha interrupted, accusing Tejashwi of misleading the residents of Bihar, which led to a confrontation with RJD MLA Bhai Virendra, who allegedly brandished a finger and uttered the term ‘hooliganism’, escalating the uproar.
Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav intervened, requesting Bhai Virendra to apologize, but he refused, asserting, “We will not apologize. This House is not anyone’s personal property.”
Amidst persistent disruptions, the Speaker adjourned the House until 2:00 p.m.
Following this, CM Nitish Kumar convened with Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha in his chamber, while Ministers Vijay Chaudhary and Bijendra Yadav also met with the Speaker to discuss the matter.
Tejashwi Yadav, Bhai Virendra, and other opposition MLAs subsequently reached the Speaker’s chamber, leading to additional exchanges.
This uproar underscores the escalating political tension in Bihar concerning the voter list revision as the Assembly elections approach, with both factions firmly entrenched in their positions.