Bihar CM Nitish hits out at Jitan Ram for raising questions on caste survey report
Patna: Amid the ongoing winter session of the Bihar Assembly, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday lost his cool and lashed out at Hindustani Awam Morcha Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi for raising questions on the caste-based survey report.
The situation occurred during the discussion on the reservation amendment bill. While speaking in the assembly Jitan Ram Manjhi said that he was not satisfied with the caste survey report.
During the discussion, Mr. Manjhi repeated several times that he is the former Chief Minister of Bihar and understands the condition of Dalits in the state. His remark on the caste-based survey report made Chief Minister Nitish Kumar furious.
In a fit of rage, Nitish Kumar said “Jitan Ram Manjhi was made the Chief Minister due to my foolishness and stupidity. Ask him what he did during his tenure as CM. I regret the day I made him the Chief Minister of Bihar. Due to my decision to make him Bihar CM I had faced the criticism of colleagues in government”.
When BJP members stood up in protest, they were told by Nitish Kumar that, “this man (pointing at Jitan Ram Manjhi) always wanted to join you. When I left you last year he came to me and told me that he wanted to stay with me but later he left and joined you. He wants to become the governor. Please make him the governor”.
Nitish Kumar’s cabinet colleagues including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Chaudhary and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav were seen urging him to stop and sit on his chair, but failed to calm him down. He stopped when Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary intervened and asked him to take his seat.
After the house was adjourned Jitan Ram Manjhi said that he would soon raise the issue with the governor Rajendra Arlekar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said, “I am going to demand his dismissal and President’s Rule in the state. It seems that he has lost his mental balance”.
During his interaction with reporters outside the House, Mr. Manjhi also highlighted Nitish Kumar’s recent remarks against women.
Later, the BJP also launched a protest against Nitish Kumar for his remark against Jitan Ram Manjhi. “Nitish Kumar has insulted a Dalit. His act is not acceptable”, Members of the BJP said.
The development comes amid the BJP’s demand for Nitish Kumar’s resignation for his controversial remark on women’s education and population control.
