Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool in the House on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Rekha Devi and the Opposition legislators on Wednesday over their protest to demand that the 65 per cent reservation law of the state, set aside by the Patna High Court, be placed in the ninth schedule of the Constitution to shield it from judicial scrutiny.

The Opposition Mahagathbandhan MLAs rushed to the Assembly well as soon as the question hour commenced and started raising slogans in favour of their demand and against Nitish and the government led by him.

While the ministers were busy answering questions raised by the MLAs amid the noise and speaker Nand Kishore Yadav’s entreaties to the protesting legislators to return to their respective seats failed, Nitish stood up.

“You all are speaking, but will feel good if you sit down and listen to the entire thing,” Nitish told the protesting MLAs from the RJD, Congress, CPIML, CPI and CPM.

“Who did this (caste-based survey and hike in reservation)? I called people. It was my wish. I invited the representatives of all parties, conducted a meeting over the issue, and got the entire survey done,” he added as the Opposition legislators again started the ruckus and the speaker tried to discipline them verbally.

But the cacophony increased and anger started welling up in Nitish.

“Just listen. Keep quiet. Had you sat and listened to me then we would have felt that you want something. But why are you not listening? We had got it (caste-based survey) done unanimously by including everybody (all political parties,” the chief minister could manage to say before being distracted by the voice of RJD legislator Rekha Devi. It proved to be the tipping point.

“Arey mahila ho? Kuchh janti nahi ho? Arey bol rahi hai kahan se aake? Ye log koi mahila ko aagey badhaya tha? Pannch k baad mahila ko aage badhaye hain. Bol rahi ho faltu mei. Isliye hum kah rahe hain, chup chap suno. (Oh! You are a woman. Do you know anything? Where have you come from to speak? Did these people (protestors) did anything for the progress of women? I ensured it after 2005. You are speaking meaninglessly. Therefore I am asking him to listen quietly,” Nitish said gesticulating wildly in anger.

The Opposition’s ruckus converted into an uproar on the chief minister words. And it acted as fuel for the fire of anger.