Nitish Kumar apologises for comment on women as opposition force adjournment of assembly
Patna (PTI): Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday offered his apologies both inside and outside Bihar assembly for comments made a day before on the importance of women's education to control population growth which saw the opposition raising a storm of protest and forcing an adjournment of the house.
The Bihar Assembly on Wednesday was adjourned till 2 pm, soon after the proceedings started, as the opposition BJP kept demanding the resignation of Kumar.
The chief minister, who was present in the House, rose to offer his explanation and said "I have expressed my regret while talking to journalists outside the House. I am ready to do so again. If my words have caused any hurt, I condemn myself (main apni ninda karta hoon)".
The septuagenarian leader added "the context in which I had made the remarks must not be lost sight of. I have always been a strong votary of women's education and it was a eureka moment for me when I saw a direct correlation between education levels among women and fertility rate".
As soon as the House had assembled at 11 am, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha rose in his seat alleging that Kumar had become a "mental" case, was unfit to govern the state and should resign.
The opposition members who remained unmoved by Kumar's apology, stormed the well, raising slogans against the chief minister and demanding his resignation.
On Tuesday, Kumar had put forward a vivid description in the assembly of how an educated woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse.
"The husband's acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him... this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down," he had said in a rustic style.
Kumar had pointed out that with education the fertility rate which was "earlier 4.3, has now come down to 2.9".
The opposition BJP charged Kumar with "bringing shame" to the state's women by speaking of the procreation process in detail.
The Speaker told the unruly opposition members "you have no right to demand the resignation of the chief minister who enjoys the confidence of the people. He has expressed regret for his utterances.
Besides, we will look into the records and if anything in his speech was found to be unparliamentary, it will be expunged from the proceedings".
However, as the ruckus continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till lunch.
Meanwhile, women's wings of Left parties, which support the state's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' government, came out with statements condemning the chief minister's remarks.
CPI(M) affiliate AIDWA and CPI(ML) Liberation affiliated AIPWA came out with statements demanding an apology from the chief minister and claiming that the language used by the veteran leader and his "body language" was "vulgar" (obscene) and smacked of patriarchy.
The women's organizations also slammed the members of the House from the fair sex for "failure to raise objections on the floor of the House" and alleged that it showed "their sole concern is their own political career".
#WATCH | "I take my words back, " says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as opposition leaders protest inside Bihar Assembly pic.twitter.com/VbgolqAhYr
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2023
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KSRTC to run 1000 special services to clear Christmas rush
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will operate 1000 additional special services in view of the Christmas festival.
In addition to the existing schedule, the special services will run on 19.12.2025, 20.12.2025 and 24.12.2025. Further, special buses will be operated from various places of intra & Interstate places to Bengaluru on 26.12.2025 & 28.12.2025.
Special buses will be exclusively operated from Bengaluru Kempegowda Bus Station to Dharmastala, Kukkesubramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubbali, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and other places.
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Special buses from Mysuru Road Bus Station will be exclusively operated towards Mysuru, Hunsur, Piriyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalanagar, Madikeri.
The corporation has also announced a discount of 5 per cent on the fare if four or more passengers book tickets under a single reservation. A discount of 10 per cent will be extended on return journey tickets if onward and return tickets are booked simultaneously.
In addition to the above, special buses will be operated from all Taluk/District Bus Stands in the jurisdiction of KSRTC based on the traffic needs.
