By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: HAM(S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday demanded that the country's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna should be bestowed upon Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar. He urged the PM Narendra Modi-led government to honour the JD(U) chief with this honour. Earlier, Nitish's party colleague, KC Tyagi had also demanded that the government give Bharat Ratna to the Bihar CM.
Jitan Ram Manjhi took to social media platform, 'X' to demand the honour for Nitish Kumar. In a post in Hindi, he said, "Bharat Ratan Nitish Kumar! Won't these words sound good to the ears? We sincerely believe that PM Narendra Modi, who surprises all with his decisions, will once again leave the nation in awe, with the decision to award Nitish Kumar, the Bharat Ratna."
He ended his post with "Bharat Ratna Nitish Kumar".
The Janata Dal (United) however distanced itself from its leader KC Tyagi's demand. They said that this was not the party stand and he had made the demand in his personal capacity.
Party leader Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said that Tyagi's statements had no connection with the party. He also reiterated that Nitish Kumar's health was absolute. He was trying to disperse the perception that the Bihar CM was ill, after some recent incidents and videos which have led many to question the physical and mental health of Nitish Kumar. The most recent controversy involving Kumar was, when he pulled up the hijab of a Muslim woman while distributing the appointment letters to AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) doctors. The woman in question was identified as Dr Nusrat Parveen