Jitan Ram Manjhi remarks on priests sparks row

Caste outfits file complaints, demand apology from former Bihar Chief Minister

Days after former Bihar chief minister and president of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), a constituent of the ruling NDA, Jitan Ram Manjhi, made disparaging remarks against the Brahmin community, a complaint was filed against him on Monday in West Champaran. Different organisations of the Brahmin community in Bihar and Jharkhand too protested against Mr Manjhi’s remark and sought a public apology from him.

While addressing an event organised by the Bhuiyan-Musahar (Dalit) community in Patna on Saturday, Mr. Manjhi had made derogatory remarks against priests.

“Earlier, we (people from the Dalit community) even did not know the name of or do puja of Lord Satyanarayan but these days in every hamlet we worship Satyanarayan bhagwan. And besides this, we further do not feel humiliation when (expletive) priests come and say they will not eat anything at our households but take money instead,” said Mr. Manjhi.