The former Bihar Chief Minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi, on Wednesday criticised Nitish Kumar for “shamelessly” implementing all 34 decisions taken by his government after annulling them on his return to power.
“All those 34 decisions taken by my Cabinet were annulled by Mr. Nitish Kumar, but he is shamelessly implementing them now,” said Mr. Manjhi, who now heads the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), which has joined the NDA for the Assembly polls.
On February 22, Mr. Nitish Kumar replaced Mr. Manjhi as Chief Minister and scrapped the 34 decisions, arguing that “they did not accord with the Cabinet rules.”
To start with, Mr. Nitish Kumar announced payment of 13 months’ salary to policemen.
Then, he gave reservation to various categories, including other backward caste women, in the government tender for road construction.
School regulationsOn Tuesday, the government agreed to one-time relaxation in the mandatory 75 per cent attendance for school students to avail themselves of the government schemes.
“With minor changes here and there, the government has been shamelessly implementing all the decisions which my government had taken for the welfare of the people,” Mr. Manjhi said, addressing journalists here. “Since I am a Mahadalit, all my decisions were not fit for implementation; but they have become pure as Mr. Nitish Kumar starts executing them.”
He also asked Mr. Nitish Kumar why he had not acted when JD(U) MLA Anant Singh threatened him with dire consequences and why he was sent to jail in an old case.
“[Poll] timing and pressure from RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav forced Mr. Nitish Kumar, who had patronised him for over eight years, to arrest Mr. Anant Singh,” he said.
