Opposition Storms Bihar Assembly Over Police Lathicharge Incident
In a dramatic session on Tuesday, opposition members in the Bihar Legislative Assembly stormed the well of the House, creating a ruckus over the police lathicharge on protesting chowkidars and dafadars that occurred on Monday. The protest disrupted proceedings as members raised slogans and displayed placards, demanding accountability for the use of force against the security personnel.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Strong Rebuttal
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar responded sharply to the opposition's actions, reminding them of their reduced strength compared to the ruling NDA's 202 MLAs. He specifically addressed RJD's Bhai Birendra, urging him not to create a nuisance and criticizing the RJD's past governance. "While you were in power, you did nothing. We fuelled the fire of development in Bihar. Bihar is now progressing rapidly," Nitish stated. He added that during the RJD's rule, people were afraid to leave their homes in the evening, contrasting it with his government's efforts to maintain peace and development.
Nitish further emphasized that his administration had previously collaborated with the opposition but severed ties when they began causing trouble. "We kept them together twice, but when they started creating trouble, we threw them out. Now we will never go with them," he declared, terming the opposition's statements as baseless and meaningless.
Parliamentary Proceedings and Government Response
As the session commenced, RJD MLA Kumar Sarvjeet raised the issue of the lathicharge, leading to members shouting slogans such as "lathi, goli ki sarkar nahi chalegi" (a government of batons and bullets will not be tolerated). In response, Speaker Prem Kumar summoned marshals and ordered the removal of placards from protesting members to restore order.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary assured the House that the government would take the concerns of chowkidars and dafadars seriously. He explained that if the government had been opposed to the protest, it would have intervened to stop it. "The government will consider their demands. As far as the chowkidars and dafadars are concerned, the decision taken by the Nitish Kumar government earlier is historic. If they have any demands, the government will talk to them," Choudhary stated.
He also clarified that while the right to protest is protected, it must not disrupt public order. "Causing inconvenience to common citizens and damaging government property is not a part of peaceful demonstration," the minister emphasized, highlighting the need for balance between protest rights and public safety.
Other Key Issues Discussed in the Assembly
The session also addressed several educational matters, reflecting broader governance concerns in Bihar:
- 5% Relaxation for EWS in STET: BJP MLA Mithilesh Tiwari demanded a 5% relaxation in qualifying marks for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates in the Secondary Teachers Eligibility Test (STET), citing a Patna High Court direction from September 16, 2025. Education Minister Sunil Kumar responded that a 10% provision for EWS already applies in the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE). He assured that the government would review the court order and take corrective action if any policy shortcomings are identified.
- Shortage of Computer Teachers: Saharsa MLA I P Gupta highlighted a significant shortage of computer teachers in government schools, despite arrangements for computer education from classes 6 to 10. CPI(ML) MLA Sandeep Saurabh claimed there is a shortage of 26,000 computer teachers, with only 460 vacancies announced. The education minister acknowledged the issue, stating that the government had prioritized appointments for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics teachers. He revealed that more than 45,000 teachers will be appointed in TRE-4, including 407 computer teachers, and so far, 8,553 computer teachers have been appointed. To address imbalances in student-teacher ratios, he mentioned that a committee headed by District Magistrates oversees postings and will be instructed to correct disparities to ensure no school faces excess or shortage of teachers.
This session underscored the ongoing political tensions in Bihar, with the opposition leveraging incidents like the lathicharge to challenge the government, while the ruling party defended its record and outlined plans for addressing key issues in education and public order.
