Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling him “mentally unstable” and suggesting that his son should be made the Chief Minister if his mind is not functioning properly.
Her remarks come after a viral video purportedly showed Nitish Kumar talking and gesturing during the national anthem at an event in Patna.
“He (Nitish Kumar) is not mentally stable. We demand that he should make his son the Chief Minister if his mind is not working,” Rabri Devi said.
The controversy escalated as RJD leader Misa Bharti also raised concerns about the Bihar CM’s mental and physical health. She urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take note of the situation.
“During the national anthem, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar did not appear physically and mentally well. I want to ask PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah—do you think his mental state is fine? He keeps insulting women and children every day. The central government should seriously consider in whose hands Bihar is,” Bharti told ANI.
Adding to the political storm, RJD leader Mukesh Raushan staged a protest in Patna, demanding an apology from the Chief Minister for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem.
“The CM should apologize for insulting the national anthem. He is unfit to hold the post, and President’s Rule should be imposed in Bihar. A case of treason should be filed against him,” Raushan said.
Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav, senior RJD leader and former Deputy CM, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize Nitish Kumar. Sharing the viral video, he wrote,
“At least 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, sometimes during the national anthem!”
Yadav also accused Nitish Kumar of being mentally and physically unstable, calling his condition a serious concern for the state.
“Let me remind you that you are the Chief Minister of a big state. You are not mentally and physically stable for even a few seconds. Your unconscious state is a matter of great concern for Bihar. Do not insult the state like this repeatedly,” he added.
In the viral video, Nitish Kumar was seen tapping an official on the shoulder and appearing to engage him in conversation. At one point, he was seen smiling and folding his hands in a namaskar toward someone in the audience while the national anthem was being played.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav also reacted strongly, stating that India would not tolerate any disrespect toward the national anthem.
“Disrespecting the national anthem will not be tolerated in India. People of Bihar, is there anything left to witness?” Lalu Yadav posted on X in Hindi.
With Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for October this year, the controversy has sparked intense political debate, with opposition leaders questioning Nitish Kumar’s leadership and health condition. The Election Commission of India is yet to announce the official poll dates.
