No entry in Bihar: Manjhi warns seven Union ministers

Known for railing up controversies, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was back in the game again on Wednesday evoking sharp criticism after he charged the Centre with ignoring the interest of the state and said seven Union ministers from the state would not be allowed entry if they failed to bring desired assistance for the region.

Referring to the seven ministers as Saat Bhaiya (seven brothers) at a function on the occasion of the 'World Toilet Day', Majhi appealed to them to bring required assistance for the state failing which they would not be allowed entry.

“These ministers would not be allowed to enter the state if funds for construction of toilets are curtailed in any way,” Manjhi said at the function.

“The Centre is not helping Bihar for construction of toilets in any way, the state government has been doing that from its own funds,” claimed Manjhi.

Though the chief minister did not take any names, the seven ministers he referred to are Radha Mohan Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Ram Vials Paswan (all cabinet ministers), Rajiv Pratap Rudy (MoS)(Independent charge), Upendra Kushwaha, Ram Kripal Yadav and Giriraj Singh (all MoS).

Manjhi also said in a lighter vein that "Thokar kha kar Mukhya Mantri ho gaye wahi thokar kha kar Pradhan Mantri na ho jaye (I have become chief minister after facing hardship and might become prime minister after suffering the same)."

Expressing anguish for high percentage of open defecation in the state, Manjhi said the state government had laid a target to construct two crore toilets by 2019.

"Even if the Centre fails to provide us necessary assistance, the state will achieve this target from its own limited resources," he said.

The chief minister said there were over 269 lakh elected representatives in panchayats and urban local bodies and if they constructed even one toilet it would be a big help in fulfilment of the target. He also made similar appeal to 50 lakh self help groups in the state. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders condemned the statement on the central ministers by the chief minister.

Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Sanitation Ram Kripal Yadav termed the statement as "unconstitutional" and attributed it to the "influence" of Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad and former chief minister Nitish Kumar on him.

"It seems that due to the mental torture Manjhi is suffering because of the overbearing influence of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, he is making unconstitutional statements," Yadav said.

Condemning the statement, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav said, "He is speaking ut patang (loose statements) now-a-days to remain in discussion."

According to latest reports, national average for open defecation is 60 per cent, in Bihar it is 77 per cent. Hardly 33 per cent homes in the state have toilets in the state.

Last week Manjhi said that he would become a ‘supporter’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he grants a special category status to Bihar. Manjhi said that grant of special category status is must for Bihar’s development.

“Our demand is directly related to the development of Bihar and its 10.5 crore people,” he said.

(with inputs from PTI)