'Nothing wrong with Nitish Kumar': Manjhi defends Bihar CM Nitish amid national anthem row

"Nitish Kumar's leadership praised by NDA amid controversy over national anthem incident, opposition criticism dismissed by Manjhi."

Asserting that the NDA was looking forward to winning the Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said there was "nothing wrong with him" and that those who have entered politics recently should not teach him how to respect the national anthem.

Mr. Kumar has been under attack from the opposition for allegedly "disrespecting" the national anthem at an event in Patna.

Also read | Opposition demands apology from Nitish Kumar over alleged insult to national anthem

"Nitish Kumar has been the Chief Minister of Bihar for 20 years. His tenure has been marked by good governance and his acumen has earned plaudits the world over. We, in the NDA, are looking forward to winning the assembly polls later this year under his leadership," Mr. Manjhi, who heads the Hindustani Awam Morcha (S), told reporters in his Lok Sabha constituency Gaya on Saturday.

On the controversy around Mr. Kumar's behaviour a couple of days ago when he was seen smiling and waving at people while the national anthem was being played, Mr. Manjhi insisted, "There was nothing objectionable. There is nothing wrong with Nitish Kumar. Those who have entered politics recently should not teach Nitish Kumar how to respect the national anthem." The allusion was to Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav who has been casting doubts on the "physical and mental health" of Mr. Kumar.

When his attention was drawn to a poster put up by Yadav's RJD, calling the JD(U) supremo 'khalnaayak' (villain), Mr. Manjhi shot back, "They deserve to be called villains themselves. In desperation for power, they are talking rubbish." Mr. Manjhi, who made his parliamentary debut last year at 80, had expressed similar doubts about the CM a couple of years ago.

Mr. Kumar, who was then with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, had upbraided Mr. Manjhi inside the assembly, reminding him, "You became chief minister thanks to my munificence." Mr. Manjhi later staged a demonstration in protest, alleging that Kumar was being "served food laced with substances that could make him go insane".