Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday once again alleged that he was removed from the post at the instance of Nitish Kumar as he started doing something for the welfare of Dalits of the state.

Delivering a two-hour long lecture on “Politics, Caste & Discrimination: Experience of a Dalit CM”, at Jawaharlal Nehru University Manjhi called himself an ‘accidental’ chief minister, who was thrown out when he started to assert himself.

This well-attended lecture was organised by Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association. He reiterated that as a Dalit he had survived in politics for over three decades because he maintained a low profile. Manjhi said that in India, particularly in Bihar, Dalit leaders, who try to assert are either killed or are implicated in false cases.

According to Manjhi it was because of his low-profile that Nitish Kumar chose to make him the chief minister as the latter wanted keep the chair warm for him (Nitish) till the next Assembly election.

The former CM repeated his charge that for the first two or three months he remained too loyal to his master but his self-respect aroused when the media started calling him a rubber stamp CM. He realized that it is enough and now is the time to get rid of this insult being heaped upon him and work independently.

He claimed that the trouble actually started when he first announced that five decimals homestead land would be given to Dalits at market rates, instead of three decimals announced by the Nitish government.
This was followed by his decision to announce free education for girl students up to post-graduate level.
Manjhi said that when he started taking these decisions Nitish Kumar became insecure. He sent the national president of the JD(U), Sharad Yadav, to ask him to quit. His refusal to oblige Nitish angered the latter who made it a prestige issue to get rid of him from the post of the chief minister. Manjhi said that he would continue to expose Nitish Kumar.