Complaint against Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi for 'upper caste' remark

A complaint was filed on Monday against Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in a court in Saran district, charging him with sowing discord in society by questioning the origin of upper caste people.

In his complaint, filed in Chief Judicial Magistrate Radheshyam Shukla's court, advocate Rajkishore Giri charged Manjhi with breach of section 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Giri alleged that Manjhi's recent controversial remarks calling himself a ruler whom the people of Bihar should worship amounted to sowing discord in society and reflecting his elitist mindset. Manjhi had caused a ripple in political circles recently by labelling upper caste people as 'foreigners' of Aryan origin and said in the same vein that the Dalits and tribals were indigenous people of Bihar.

Opposition BJP as well as some JD(U) lawmakers had taken strong exception to the remarks and demanded that the JD(U) leadership take action against Manjhi.