Patna, Nov 9 (IANS): While Nitish Kumar is facing criticism for allegedly humiliating Hindustani Awam Morcha leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said that the Bihar Chief Minister has not insulted the Dalit community.

“In politics, leaders use to level allegations on each other. Nitish Kumar made Jitan Ram Manjhi the Chief Minister. He had made Manjhi’s son a cabinet minister and those points were mentioned by the CM Nitish Kumar. He has not said anything wrong,” Yadav said.

“Today is a historic day when Bihar has passed 75 per cent reservation for various castes in Vidhan Sabha. BJP leaders are trying to divert the attention from it and hence they are alleging that Nitish Kumar has humiliated the entire Dalit community. He has not humiliated Dalit community. He has not used any anti-Dalit word. Anti-Dalit words are generally used by BJP leaders in the country. They have humiliated my father and my family,” Yadav said.

Meanwhile, JD-U MLA Sanjiv claimed that Jitan Ram Manjhi is a traitor. “The Chief Minister has not said anything wrong... Nitish Kumar made Jitan Ram Manjhi the Chief Minister of Bihar and now he is aiming to become Governor and hence (he is) roaming behind BJP. Nitish Kumar is on the post of Chief Minister for 18 years and had also served as a union minister. He is a well respected leader.”

“Nitish Kumar rightly said that people may get angry if anyone becomes a traitor. When Nitish Kumar made him Chief Minister, he had to work in a right manner but he was neither behaving decently with party workers nor with Bihar. Manjhi Ji acted as a traitor with Nitish Kumar. There is no doubt about it,” the JD-U MLA from Khagaria's Parbatta seat said.

The Bihar Chief Minister on Thursday said that Manjhi became Chief Minister "due to my mistake and foolishness".

Nitish Kumar used some rough language, saying he was doing so to expose him.

He also said that Manjhi does not have any sense and even his family members considered him senseless and useless.

"He (Manjhi) does not have any idea of how he became the Chief Minister. It was my mistake that I made that man the Chief Minister in 2013. He does not have any sense. He just speaks unnecessarily here and there. His statements have no value.

"In August 2022, I separated from the NDA and formed the government with 6 parties in Bihar. He ran away from the NDA and joined us. I asked him to stay there but he came with us. We deliberately threw him out from the government," Kumar had said.