Nitish Kumar's 1997 'Resign, Go to Court' Speech Resurfaces, Challenges Power Ethics

• Nitish Kumar's April 30, 1997, Lok Sabha speech on ethics and accountability is gaining renewed attention 28 years later.
• The speech, delivered during the Railway Budget debate, urged leaders facing serious allegations to resign and prove innocence in court, directly referencing the Fodder Scam involving then-CM Lalu Prasad Yadav.
• Kumar criticized "double standards," citing leaders like Sharad Yadav, Madhavrao Scindia, V.C. Shukla, and Lal Krishna Advani who resigned over the Hawala scandal.
• The speech's resurgence is fueled by Lalu Yadav's conviction in the Fodder Scam and upcoming court appearance for Lalu and Tejashwi Yadav in the IRCTC scam case.
• Despite changing political alliances, the speech's core message about power, ethics, and democracy remains highly relevant in current Bihar politics.

Why It Matters: Nitish Kumar's 1997 speech on political ethics and accountability remains profoundly relevant today.