PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who has come under fire from various quarters for threatening errant doctors, on Saturday said his “chop off hands” call was not meant in the literal sense.
Manjhi told reporters that he just used a Hindi proverb “hath kaat denge” (will chop off hands) and did not mean what was being made out. “It seems that they are not much educated. They do not read Hindi. What type of journalism are they practising?” he asked.
Referring to BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi’s demand that he resign, the Bihar CM said, “What type of resignation is he demanding? I will continue to use this proverb.” Sushil Modi has sought immediate removal of Manjhi as CM and filing of a case against him.
Former national president of Indian Medical Association Dr Ajay Kumar also said Manjhi should be removed as CM and a case should be filed against him. He also took pity on former CM Nitish Kumar for having thrust such a CM on the people of Bihar.
“Manjhi should learn from Dalit stalwart B R Ambedkar as well as Ram Vilas Paswan and Chirag Paswan. He is unnecessarily using his Mahadalit identity,” Kumar said. Meanwhile, the state chapter of IMA and Bihar Health Services Association held a meeting to condemn the CM’s remarks. They sought an apology from Manjhi within 24 hours, rejecting his clarification that it was just a Hindi proverb. “If he fails to tender an apology, we would meet again on October 26 and go on strike,” the association members said. They said it was also decided to move the National Human Rights Commission, Patna High Court and the Supreme Court and finally send a petition to the President, if the CM didn’t meet their demand.
The associations also asked the government to cancel suspension of the PMCH superintendent and the action taken against seven other doctors, who were charged with dereliction of duty after the October 3 stampede at Gandhi Maidan, in which 33 people were killed.