Patna: A video purportedly showing Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s wife inspecting a degree college and issuing instructions to officials has triggered a political controversy, with opposition leaders questioning under what authority she was carrying out the inspection.
The footage, which has been widely shared on social media, appears to show Mamta Kumari, wife of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, visiting a government degree college, interacting with officials and reviewing campus facilities. The video has prompted criticism from opposition parties and several social media users, who questioned whether a family member of an elected representative has any official administrative powers.
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Critics compared the incident to the long-debated practice of “mukhiya pati”, “MLA pati” and “MP pati”—terms used when spouses of elected representatives are alleged to unofficially exercise authority. They argued that the latest episode raises similar concerns about individuals without a constitutional or statutory role issuing directions to government officials.
The viral video has fuelled demands for clarification from the Bihar government over whether the visit was official, whether any department had authorised the inspection and in what capacity officials accompanied or interacted with the Chief Minister’s wife.
Supporters of the ruling alliance, however, argued that public representatives’ family members often visit institutions and interact with local authorities and that the video alone does not establish that any official orders were issued.
As of now, neither the Bihar government nor the Chief Minister’s Office has released a detailed statement explaining the purpose of the visit or the authority under which it was conducted. The authenticity and full context of the viral video have not been independently verified.
