Ruckus continues inside Bihar assembly over Nitish Kumar's remark on women, lathicharge against Anganwadi protestors

Nov 09, 2023

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 9 : Ruckus continued on Thursday both inside and outside the Bihar Assembly over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's remark on women and the police lathicharge against Anganwadi protestors.
Opposition party leaders inside the state assembly raised an uproar over the chief minister's remark on women and birth control and demanded his resignation.
Addressing the Winter Session of the Assembly during a debate on caste census on Tuesday, the CM made bizarre remarks while underscoring the need for girls' education to check population growth in the state.
On Wednesday too, chaotic scenes were witnessed in the Assembly as opposition members raiseed slogans against the chief minister over his objectionable remarks on birth control.
As the BJP mounted a spate of scathing attacks, Kumar on Wednesday apologised for his remarks in the assembly.
"I apologise, and I take back my words," he told reporters after BJP legislators did not allow him to enter the legislative assembly.
Opposition leaders also protested outside the Bihar Assembly today against the use of water cannon and lathi-charge to disperse the Anganwadi protestors.
"Once again the government has done a shameful thing by pouring water on Anganwadi women outside the Deputy chief minister's house and resorting to lathicharge. The government is trying to tarnish the dignity of women who are demanding their rights on the streets. What can be more insulting to women than this?" one of the protestors said.
Bihar police used water cannons to disperse the agitators. In the ensuing chaos, an Anganwadi worker fainted as the police continued lathi charge and water cannons against the workers.
Anganwadi workers have been demanding an increase in their honorarium and status as government employees. The workers said that they have five demands from the state government, of which the status of a government employee and an increase in honorarium is the utmost priority. The Anganwadi workers claimed , the Supreme Court had also directed to give the workers benefit of gratuity but the Bihar Government was not considering it.