PATNA, Feb. 10 -- What started as a demand for an apology quickly spiralled into pandemonium in the Bihar Legislative Council on Tuesday, with all opposition members being forcibly removed by marshals after a heated confrontation that nearly turned physical.

The opposition members were enraged over chief minister Nitish Kumar's controversial reference to former chief minister Rabri Devi as "yeh jo ladki hai" (this girl) during Monday's session - a remark the Opposition slammed as deeply insulting to women.

The trouble began as soon as the House assembled for the day's business. RJD members, led by vocal protests against Nitish Kumar, rose from their seats demanding an immediate apology for what they called a derogatory comment rooted in...