Bihar Minister’s Degree Sparks Heated Clash in Legislative Council

Patna: The political atmosphere in Bihar has heated up over degrees and personal accusations, as a sharp confrontation erupted between RJD MLC Sunil Kumar Singh and Nitish Kumar government minister Ashok Choudhary in the Bihar Legislative Council.

The controversy revolves around Minister Choudhary’s academic credentials. Recently, Choudhary was appointed as an assistant professor at A.N. College, Patna University, a move that had been delayed due to discrepancies in the name on his documents. While the court cleared his appointment, questions regarding the authenticity of his degree continue to linger.

On Wednesday, the matter resurfaced in the Council when RJD’s Sunil Kumar Singh directly challenged Choudhary over his degree. In response, Choudhary dared Singh to prove the allegations or resign from the Council.

From Paddy Procurement to Personal Attacks

The debate initially began with opposition members questioning the delay in government procurement of paddy, alleging that farmers’ crops were not being purchased due to moisture-related excuses by PACS, despite the procurement period nearing its end. While addressing this issue, Choudhary took a jibe at the previous RJD government.

This prompted Sunil Kumar Singh to claim that the truth about Choudhary’s degree could easily be revealed, suggesting it might have been obtained through dubious means. Choudhary reacted angrily, challenging Singh to provide proof, or step down from the Council. The heated exchange escalated quickly, prompting the Council Chairman to intervene, advising both leaders to remain calm and to avoid personal attacks in official proceedings.

This is not the first time tensions flared. On February 10, the two had a similar clash in the Council, which turned personal, with inappropriate language and slogans being raised by opposition members. The Speaker had even suspended opposition members for a day to restore order. Following that incident, Singh had accused Choudhary of acting aggressively, saying, “Even street thugs don’t act the way he did inside the Council.”

The ongoing confrontation highlights the tense political dynamics in Bihar, where personal allegations and governance issues are increasingly intersecting in the state legislature.