Uproar In Bihar Assembly Over Video Of Top Bureaucrat Abusing Teachers

A committee has been set up by the Bihar Legislative Council to look into allegations of bad behaviour, at a video conference meeting, by a top bureaucrat, the state government informed the assembly on Thursday.

The submission was made by Education Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary during the Question Hour while intervening amid an uproar by the Opposition which was demanding action against KK Pathak, the department's Additional Chief Secretary.

"The issue that is being raised here today was raised in the upper house yesterday," said Mr Chaudhary, adding that an MLC had sought to play the video footage of Mr Pathak's conference using a pen drive.

"Our government abhors the use of foul language by any official against even ordinary citizens, let alone members of the legislature and teachers. But I disapproved of playing the video on the floor of the House, which would have set a bad precedent," said Mr Chaudhary.

"On behalf of the government, I submitted that the chair was authorised to examine the issue in a manner it deemed proper and the government shall abide by its recommendations," he said.

Subsequently, Chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur set up a five-member committee to look into the matter, said the education minister who also took exception to some of the assembly members flashing their mobile screens to display the video.

The opposition members, some of whom had trooped into the well, staged a walkout after their demand that the matter be examined by a committee of the assembly was turned down by Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav.

Later, talking to reporters, Opposition leaders Shakil Ahmed Khan of the Congress, Bhai Virendra of the RJD, and Mahboob Alam of the CPI(ML) Liberation alleged that the government was trying to shield the officer whom they called "gaalibaaz" (uncouth).

They also claimed that despite the assurance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inside the House on Wednesday, the timings of schools were not revised in several districts, which was an "example of Pathak's high-handedness".

Meanwhile, in a related development, a petition was filed before a Muzaffarpur court seeking legal action against Pathak.

The petitioner Vinod Kumar, a local advocate, contended that he felt aggrieved by the video in which the IAS officer could be seen using abusive language against teachers, "since my wife is also in the teaching profession".

The petitioner has lodged his complaint under IPC sections 500 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult).

The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Muzaffarpur, fixed March 4 as the hearing date on the case.

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