Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday directed officials to hand over the fruits growing in the chief minister's official residence to its present occupant Jitan Ram Manjhi.This came a day after former chief minister Manjhi alleged that police were deployed at the bungalow here to guard the litchi, mango and jackfruit trees so that he and his family can't eat their fruit."I am least bothered about fruit, particularly mangoes, my concern is people," Nitish Kumar told the media here.
Manjhi, who continues to occupy the official residence of the Bihar chief minister, and his Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) on Wednesday accused the state government of deploying 24 policemen to prevent him and his family from enjoying mangoes and litchis growing on the trees at the 1, Anne Marg bungalow.
Nitish Kumar said: "I am ready to pay for fruit from my salary if there is scope to buy them but fruits should be gifted to Manjhi and his family.""I was neither aware about it nor informed about all this. Some people develop affection for a few things within a short span of time. We are more concerned about the people and those concerned about the mangoes should be given the fruit in ample numbers. What's the problem in that?" Nitish Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar is not staying in the chief minister's official bungalow in the high security zone here as Manjhi is yet to vacate it.Janata Dal-United spokesperson Ajay Alok said Manjhi has again exposed himself by a false accusation that Nitish Kumar has banned him and his family from enjoying the fruit from the trees in the chief minister's official residence.However, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said it was bizarre that a person occupying a bungalow was deprived of enjoying fruits from trees planted there.He alleged that this was an insult to a mahadalit (Manjhi's caste) by Nitish Kumar.