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Leaders fight over aam, not aam aadmi
The luscious mangoes and litchis hanging temptingly from trees in Bihar Chief Minister\'s official bungalow have added a new flavour to the bitter tussle between incumbent Nitish Kumar and his predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi. Manjhi, who still occupies the sprawling bungalow on Anne Marg, is livid at deployment of policemen especially to \'guard\' the fruit-laden trees and prevent anybody, including the residents, from picking them.
Patna: The luscious mangoes and litchis hanging temptingly from trees in Bihar Chief Minister's official bungalow have added a new flavour to the bitter tussle between incumbent Nitish Kumar and his predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi. Manjhi, who still occupies the sprawling bungalow on Anne Marg, is livid at deployment of policemen especially to 'guard' the fruit-laden trees and prevent anybody, including the residents, from picking them.
Danish Rizwan, spokesman for Manjhi's Hindustani Awaam Morcha, claimed 24 policemen (8 sub-inspectors and 16 constables) have been directed to not allow people even to pick the fruit that has fallen on the ground. Manjhi, who has refused to vacate the premises even after being unseated by Kumar, alleged it reflected a "petty mindset".
"Lalu lived here for 4-5 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 fruits grown on the campus," he said. Kumar, however, 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, the security is provided by them, only they will know. Left to me, I would have asked people to pick the fruits and give it to them (the Manjhis)," he said. Senior BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain had a juicy take on the controversy.
"Nitish Kumar is losing weight worrying more about Aam (mangoes) than Aam Aadmi (the common man)," he said."Jungle Raj has returned to Bihar where dacoity and murders are commonplace. Police should be deployed for people's security instead of securing mangoes and litchis at Manjhi's house," he said.
Kumar had handpicked Manjhi to succeed him when he resigned owning moral responsibility for JD(U)'s Lok Sabha debacle last year but removed him when he turned a detractor. The succulent mangoes and litchis have uncharacteristically added to the bitterness.
