'Denied' mangoes and litchis, Manjhi bites into Nitish

Criticises CM Nitish Kumar for keeping him away from the mangoes and litchis at his residence

Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Bihar chief minister, on Thursday criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for keeping him away from the mangoes and litchis at his residence. Manjhi, who quit as Bihar chief minister in mid-February, has refused to vacate the official accommodation meant for the chief minister, at 1, Anne Marg, in Patna. He and his party spokesperson alleged Kumar has deputed a posse of cops to guard the fruit-laden mango and litchi trees on the bungalow premises. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), wanting a bite of the controversy, held a press conference in Delhi. Former member of Parliament Shahnawaz Hussain alleged Kumar was harassing Manjhi, a Mahadalit, by first unseating him from the chief ministerial chair and now not letting him eat the fruits from the bungalow's orchard.

In Patna, Danish Rizwan, spokesman for Manjhi's Hindustani Awaam Morcha, claimed eight sub-inspectors and 16 constables, have been deputed to guard the fruit. He said even those on the ground could not be taken.

"Lalu (Prasad) lived here for four to five months (after RJD lost power to JD(U)). Were such instructions issued then? This reflects a petty, disgusting mindset. They (the government) want to deny a Dalit to partake of the fruits grown on the campus," Manjhi said.

Kumar claimed he had no hand in the directive issued to the policemen deployed at Manjhi's residence. "I asked the DGP what's this. Be it the CM's official residence or any earmarked building, security is provided by them, only they will know. Left to me, I would have asked people to pick the fruit and give it to them (the Manjhis)," he said.

Hussain said: "Nitish Kumar is losing weight worrying more about aam (mangoes) than aam aadmi (the common man)."

BJP hasn't ruled out an alliance with Manjhi in the coming Assembly elections.