Bihar: Petition filed against CM Nitish Kumar in court for 'disrespecting' national anthem

Begusarai (Bihar) [India], March 26 (ANI): A petition was filed against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a Bihar court seeking action against him over allegedly "disrespecting" the national anthem at a public event in Patna.
Amit Kumar, the Advocate of the petitioner, spoke to ANI after the Court ordered a notice to Nitish Kumar for disrespecting the National Anthem.

"On 20 March, at an event in Patna's Patliputra Stadium, the National Anthem was being played, during which CM Nitish Kumar's body language was condemnable and punishable. Neither did he stand up for the National Anthem himself, nor was he allowing the other officials to respect it," said the Advocate.
"We have been taught to respect the national anthem since we are kids, that when the anthem is being played we should not fidget, make movements or indulge in any activities, adhering to the norms. This is disrespectful to the national anthem and the nation. The complainant is Vikas Paswan, who has filed the case. It is very shameful that a person appointed as the Chief Minister of the state disrespects the anthem," the Advocate added.
Earlier, an advocate filed the plea before the additional chief judicial magistrate (West) in Muzaffarpur and sought police action against CM Kumar under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act.
The court had scheduled the matter for hearing on March 25.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav took a sharp dig at CM Nitish Kumar over the case.
"The whole country is worried about what has happened to the Prime Minister's beloved Chief Minister Narendra Modi ji, who insulted the national anthem. Is RSS-BJP supporting this insult of the national anthem?" posted the RJD leader on X on March 21.
https://x.com/yadavtejashwi/status/1902724700473872792
In another post, the RJD leader said, " At least please do not insult the national anthem, Chief Minister. You insult youth, students, women and elderly people every day. Sometimes they clap on Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom day and mock his martyrdom, and sometimes they clap on the national anthem! 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."
RJD leader Rabri Devi also accused Bihar's chief Minister of insulting women and disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi and the national anthem in a post that read, "Nayak nahi khalnayak hoon main (not a hero, I am a villain).
Congress leader Pawan Khera also criticised the BJP-led party in Bihar and questioned the party's commitment to the state.
"We are worried for the health of the Chief Minister, but we are more worried about Bihar. If Bihar has such a leadership, how safe is the state? They (the BJP) only worry about any state until the elections. After the elections, they forget Bihar or any other state," Khera told ANI.
Khera also questioned the safety of Bihar under its current leadership, citing the recent shooting of a hospital director in Patna as evidence of the state's deteriorating law and order situation.
This comes days after a video clip of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar went viral, purportedly showing him "gesturing" and apparently "talking" while the national anthem was being played at an event in Patna.
Earlier, on March 22, Tejashwi Yadav criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, stating that the CM is exhausted and the people of Bihar are suffering under his leadership and reiterated his demand for the resignation of the Chief Minister.
Yadav pointed out that the recent behaviour of the CM has raised questions about his ability to lead, with people now suggesting that Nitish Kumar should retire and referred to the 2020 elections when Nitish Kumar announced that it would be his last election during a meeting in Purnia. (ANI)