Nitish Kumar hits back at former Bihar CM Manjhi for doubting caste survey

BJP rallies behind Manjhi, calls it ‘insult of Dalits’

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaks with the media during Winter session of the State Assembly on Wednesday. (PTI)

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A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar apologised for his remarks on population control, he hit back at former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi for having criticised the caste survey report, on Thursday. A visibly enraged CM went on to tell Manjhi in Assembly, “You have become the CM because of my foolishness. Within two months of making him the chief minister, I had started getting complaints against him.I had to then return as the chief minister a year later”

Kumar made the remark in the Assembly when Manjhi, who formed his own party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and is now with the opposition BJP-led NDA, rose to express doubts over the state government’s caste survey. He had finished his speech saying, “the caste survey lacked an objective approach and there have been instances of a lot of table work”.

An enraged CM retaliated, “Isko kuchh samajh nahi aata hai (does he make anything out of caste survey?) He keeps saying nonsensical things and the media also gives him undue publicity.” The CM did not stop at this and said: “How do you call yourself a former CM? It was I who made you CM. You became CM because of my foolishness.” Kumar’s cabinet colleagues were seen tugging at his kurta, urging him to calm down and take his seat, though the septuagenarian did not relent until he had given Manjhi a mouthful. The CM then turned towards the Opposition and said: “This man wants to become Governor. Make him one… We had thrown him out of the grand alliance also.”

Manjhi later told the reporters outside the Assembly: “This is not Nitish Kumar I have known for years. He does not look in a good mental state. I became an MLA in 1980 and Nitish in 1985 and I am also six years older than him. He has been disrespectful towards me”. BJP promptly came to Manjhi’s defence with senior BJP leaders gathering at the former CM’s residence to express solidarity with him. BJP leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha said: “Nitish Kumar had first insulted women, now he has insulted a Dalit leader and a former CM. It is an insult to the entire Dalit community.”

with inputs from PTI

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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