Why Nitish Kumar lost his cool over school timings in Bihar assembly

After forming a new government with BJP-led NDA alliance, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday found himself embroiled in a heated exchange with unruly opposition members inside the assembly. The opposition, displeased with a BJP MLA's use of foul language while referring to RJD legislators the previous day, staged a walkout from the House within 30 minutes of the proceedings beginning.

The situation in Bihar has been tense since Bihar CM decided to leave the already existing Mahagathbandhan in the state. It all started after opposition members trooped to the well of the House and raised slogans against the government, with pleas of Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav for order falling on deaf ears.

In response to chants of "mukhyamantri murdabad (down with the CM)," a visibly irritated Kumar retorted, "Keep shouting 'murdabad' against me. I will say 'zindabad' to you. But remember, in the next elections most of you will fail to get re-elected. You may then spend your time making noise in your constituencies."


Dispute over school timings:
"Our government has done so much. But you people indulged in wrongdoings whenever you shared power. I am going to set everything right," said Nitish Kumar.

Kumar, who had a day ago ordered that school timing be changed to 10 am to 4 pm instead of 9 am to 5 pm fixed by the education department earlier, also took exception to demands for removal of additional chief secretary KK Pathak.

"You are demanding the removal of an official. Do you have the right to do so? You want to shift the most honest officer," said Kumar, though he did not mention his name.

He pointed out, "Once I received complaints against the new school timings, I lost no time in setting it right."

Kumar had told the House that the timings would be changed. Later in the day, a notification was issued announcing the revised school hours.

As the opposition members continued demanding an apology for the BJP MLA's remark, they were curtly told by the Speaker to go back to their seats and raise the issue during the zero hour.

Following this, the opposition members staged a walkout.