Nitish Kumar talks, laughs during national anthem, Tejashwi Yadav says ‘Not mentally and physically stable’

Nitish Kumar was caught on camera laughing and talking to IAS officer during national anthem. (Screengrab/X)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was recently seen laughing and talking during the national anthem while he was attending a sports event in Patna.

At the inauguration of the Sepaktakraw World Cup in Patna's Pataliputra Sports Complex, Nitish Kumar was caught on camera laughing and talking to IAS officer and Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar, who was standing next to him on the stage, NDTV reported.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav shared the video on X and lashed out at the chief minister. He accused him of insulting the state and the nation.

“At least please do not insult the national anthem, Hon'ble 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!” Tejashwi Yadav wrote on X.

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, , !PS: pic.twitter.com/rFDXcGxRdV Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 20, 2025

He alleged that the chief minister was not mentally or physically stable and called his condition a matter of great concern for the state.

"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," he added.

At the event, Nitish Kumar was seen tapping the officer on his shoulder and trying to get his attention. At one point, all smiles, he folded his palms in a namaskar at someone in the audience.

Deepak Kumar was seen pulling at the Chief Minister's sleeves to get him to stay still.

Tejashwi Yadav's father Lalu Yadav also posted the video on X. The caption read, "India will not tolerate insult to the national anthem. People of Bihar, is there anything left now?"

, ? pic.twitter.com/tz3MMgIOAl Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) March 20, 2025

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Nitish Kumar's ally in the NDA, hit back at the opposition.

"People who are insulting the country including Bihar are raising questions on the Honorable Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar," read his post on X.

"I would like to tell such people that Lalu Ji and Company had made the name of our state "Bihar" an abuse but it is Nitish Kumar Ji who gave respect to Bihar on the international platform. On one hand, people of Bihar shudder at the memory of Laluji's rule, on the other hand, Nitish Kumar was Bihar's favourite yesterday, is so today and will remain so in the future too. Nitish Kumar is the honour of Bihar," he added.