Seems Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has a knack of saying all the wrong things

The News Minute | November 15, 2014 | 07:01 am IST Two court cases have reportedly been filed against Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi following his alleged infamous statement that 'upper caste people are foreigners'. Manjhi is however not new to controversy, perhaps even a regular contributor. Since he swore in as the chief minister in May, Manjhi’s constant delivery of ‘controversial’ remarks has raked up many a storms. Here are some of the most controversial comments Manjhi’s allegedly made is the past few months. "Everyone knows what these women do as their husbands remain outside after marriage." ( Source: The Times Of India )Manjhi said this at a function at Jhajhwa Pakdi village in Gopalganj district on November 14. Manjhi was reportedly questioning the 'morality' of women whose husbands live and work out of Bihar. He allegedly said this in the context of migration of workers from villages."The upper caste people are foreigners and descendants of the Aryan race...they have come here from foreign countries. Only tribals and Dalits are indigenous people”. ( Source: NDTV )Manjhi said this at a function in Bettiah on November 11. He later justified his comments saying he based it on historical facts. "I'm firm on my statement. I didn't say anything wrong," he asserted. JD(U) MLA Anant Singh, criticising Manjhi's remark, said: "Manjhi is speaking like a mad person. He has lost his mental balance. He was made CM while ignoring the claims of deserving candidates. Nitish should take over the chair from him. It's in the interest of Bihar that Manjhi resigns immediately."( BJP party workers burns effigy of Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi at ITO in Patna on Sept. 27, 2014; Photo: IANS )"I will cut off the hands of all doctors if they mistreat poor patients." ( Source: IBN )The Chief Minister defended his statement saying, "I have only used an idiom. People who do not know Hindi should learn the language first before commenting. These are commonly used phrases in the language along with burning the limbs etc." Manjhi said this while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a 70-bed sub-divisional hospital at Pakri Dayal in Bihar's East Champaran district in October.( Jitan Ram Manjhi celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr in Patna on July 29, 2014; Photo: IANS )"I do not consider it wrong if a person comes home in the evening, consumes a pauva (quarter) of alcohol before going off to sleep.""Alcohol is a bane of society and has ruined many families. Owing to their addiction, the mahadalits are not able to look after their children properly or improve their lifestyle. If you have to drink alcohol, you should take a little of it in the form of medicine." ( Source: India Today )This remark was made by Manjhi while addressing a conference of mahadalits at Rupaspur near Patna in September.( Jitan Ram Manjhi meeting people during a janta darbar in Patna on June 16, 2014; Photo: IANS)"I am aware that small traders indulge in hoarding and black marketing of goods to make profit in order to sustain their families and educate their children. "You please don't worry about your activities as the state government will not punish you for hoarding and black marketing on small scale." ( Source: DNA )Manji said this at a function organised by Bihar State Foodgrain Businessmen's Association on September 2.  ( Jitan Ram Manjhi during the opening of an `Eye Bank` at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), in Patna on Oct. 18, 2014.; Photo: IANS )“Dalit youths should go for more inter-caste marriages. We need to take our population from 16 to 22 per cent if we have to become a political force”. ( Source: India Today )He made this comment in August.His party, the JD (U), is said to be embarrassed by the Manjhi's public comments and seem to have made it evident to him through their gestures. At a recent function which Manjhi was supposed to attend with five of his cabinet ministers, the ministers were conspicuously absent from the event. Manjhi then reportedly said, "I know that I am CM for a few days only". Some of the ministers later said they were not invited to the event.When Nitish Kumar elected Manjhi as his successor, the latter's rise was hailed all the more because a 'mahadalit' had become chief minister of a state where caste equations play a strong role. However, the journey till now seems to have been rough for the 72-year-old with allegations and controversies marking most of his tenure and his remarks every now and then doesn't seem to be of any help either.