Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday dubbed the recent decision of chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to change the definition of saga sambandhi as absurd, strange and morally wrong.According to Modi the chief minister has changed the definition of ‘saga sambandhi’ to imply only ‘close (blood) relative’. Till now the term meant ‘close (blood) and distant relatives’ in the relevant government circular.

SuMo said the move would open the floodgate for the appointment of distant relatives by ministers as their personal staff. It would also protect such appointments made by other ministers. Modi said this move would encourage corrupt practices.The BJP leader said that in a reply to his written query, Manjhi had clarified that the phrase ‘saga sambandhi’ should only be understood as meaning ‘father, mother, sons, daughters and dependents’ of a person. It should not be implied as meaning or including 'distant or non-blood relatives’.

This, Modi said, amounted to distorting the meaning of the phrase.A controversy erupted after it came to the light that Manjhi’s son-in-law has been working as his personal secretary for the last six years while his nephew is his peon.

While the son-in-law gave up the job after the controversy the nephew continued to work.Later, two other relatives of Manjhi, Navin Kumar Neelam and Rajesh Ranjan, respectively his PA and lower grade typist, had to quit.

Incidentally, Manjhi’s nephew had been his PA ever since he became a minister in the Nitish cabinet six years back and the BJP was sharing power with the JD(U). But the saffron the party never raised this issue then.