Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar abruptly left the dais ahead of the national anthem during the inauguration of the Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 at the Pataliputra Sports Complex on Thursday, surprising the audience and organisers.
The 74-year-old CM was brought back by officials after a few minutes, and the event resumed with the anthem being played. The incident has triggered sharp criticism from the Opposition RJD, with party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav accusing Kumar of “disrespecting the national anthem.”
कम से कम कृपया राष्ट्र गान का तो अपमान मत करिए मा॰ मुख्यमंत्री जी।
युवा, छात्र, महिला और बुजुर्गों को तो आप प्रतिदिन अपमानित करते ही है।
कभी महात्मा गांधी जी के शहादत दिवस पर ताली बजा उनकी शहादत का मखौल उड़ाते है तो कभी राष्ट्रगान का!
PS: आपको याद दिला दें कि आप एक बड़े प्रदेश… pic.twitter.com/rFDXcGxRdV
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 20, 2025
Unexpected exit during anthem announcement:
As soon as the moderator announced the playing of the national anthem, Kumar got up from his seat and walked towards the participants, greeting them with a “namaste” and a wave. His cabinet colleagues and officials were left stunned by the sudden departure.
A cultural performance was also part of the event, during which a performer wearing an animal-head mask approached the CM for a handshake. Visibly startled, Kumar insisted that the mask be removed before shaking hands.
JD(U) defends CM:
JD(U) leaders, however, dismissed the controversy, saying the CM was merely engaging with the participants and had no intention of showing disrespect.
The Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 features 300 players and support staff from 21 countries, including China, Indonesia, Japan, Iran, Nepal, France, Germany, Italy, USA, Brazil, and hosts India. The tournament will conclude on March 25.
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