PATNA: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) supremo Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday announced that he would stage a dharna against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar at Raj Ghat in New Delhi over the latter's outburst against him during the recently concluded winter session of the state assembly.
Manjhi who was supposed to stage a silent demonstration at Ambedkar Memorial near Patna High Court in the state capital could not do so as the district administration did not allow it. Later, he staged a sit-in agitation in front of the statue of the departed leader outside the campus.
Manjhi told media persons that he would stage a dharna at Raj Ghat against Nitish for his unsavoury remarks against him as it was not only an insult to him but also to the entire Dalit community of Bihar and the country. He said it was saddening that a chief minister of a state who represented 13 crore people had spoken in such language. He said that he was also exploring the possibility of taking legal action against Nitish for his remarks, made in the assembly.
Former chief minister Manjhi said that Nitish in the assembly bragged about making him CM but in his opinion, the BJP made him (Nitish) CM and after he betrayed them, the RJD had now given him the post.
“Where have the people made you the Chief Minister?” he asked. Sharpening his attack on Nitish, Manjhi said, “You are also in power as ‘Palturam’ (turncoat). You also made me the Chief Minister because of your political ambition.”
Senior BJP leaders like Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha and Bihar BJP President Samrat Chaudhary were present to show their solidarity with him. Manjhi said that Ambedkar was like God to them as he wanted to hold a silent demonstration after garlanding his statue but the gate of Ambedkar Memorial was closed. He contended that it was beyond comprehension why the CM had used such language against him in the assembly as he along with leaders of other parties had supported the reservation amendment bill in the house.
He said he had only advocated for the review of reservation quotas and there was nothing wrong in it as even the Father of the Constitution B R Ambedkar was not against it.
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