Patna: More than 24 armed police personnel swarmed the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Wednesday barring him and his family members from entering the mango and litchi garden at 1, Anne Marg, the designated official residence of the Bihar CM, which Manjhi continues to occupy despite demitting office.
Manjhi said that deployment of policemen, including eight sub Inspectors and 16 constables for guarding hundreds of trees bearing mangoes and litchis fruits to prevent him and his family from enjoying them, reflects "base mentality" of Kumar.
"How strange it sounds that a person living in a bungalow cannot enjoy fruits of trees in the premises," Manjhi said, adding, "one gardener was suspended recently for plucking mangoes for my family."
The cops deployed around mango and litchi trees said that they have strict instructions not to allow anyone from even picking fruits from the ground.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar laughed at the accusation and told reporters he was not aware of the matter and has sought details from state police chief P K Thakur.
“I have no idea what he is talking about. I am busy with my work for good governance and other things I have no time for such things anyways I have sought report from DGP Bihar on the issue and if he is so much interested in only mangoes and fruits he will get it I don’t see any problem with it,” Nitish Kumar said.
Manjhi, even after his resignation from the post of Chief Minister retained 1, Anne Marg demanding to be shifted to 7, Circular Road where chief minister Nitish Kumar is residing currently. He said he is “ready to quit the official CM house only is he is allotted 7 Circular Road as it is meant for the former chief minister”.
Adding further he said, “Not only have we been barred from using fruit garden here, my telephone connection too has been disconnected since two months.”
