Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, visibly frustrated, demanded that a government official expedite a road project in Patna, even offering to touch the official’s feet to hasten the process. The incident, captured on video, has gone viral.
At a public event in Patna, Kumar addressed an IAS officer, asking him to speed up work on the "JP Ganga Path," an expressway along the river aimed at easing the city’s traffic congestion. In the video, Kumar can be heard saying, "Kahiye to hum aapka pair chhu lete hain (I shall touch your feet if that is what you want)." The official, visibly alarmed, stepped back and pleaded, "Sir, please don't do this," as top government officials and political leaders intervened to prevent further escalation.
This is not the first instance of Kumar making such an offer. The previous week, he had similarly offered to touch the feet of a senior IAS officer to prompt the resolution of land disputes through comprehensive surveys.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav seized on the incident, sharing the video on X and criticizing Kumar. Yadav remarked that there is no other Chief Minister in the world as "helpless, powerless, invalid, incapable, and forced" as Nitish Kumar, who resorts to folding hands and touching feet in front of various officials and even private employees of contractors. Yadav further commented that many officials feel empowered to dictate Bihar's affairs because they perceive Kumar as a weakened leader, heading a party with only 43 seats.
