A fierce debate on rising intolerance is likely to spark a row within the country once again as former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday creat
A fierce debate on rising intolerance is likely to spark a row within the country once again as former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday created a stir within the political fraternity in Bihar by saying that “people are coming up with complaints of intolerance”.
Mr Manjhi, who is also an important member of the NDA in Bihar, wants the Centre to clarify stand on the issue to “end the debate on growing intolerance once and for all”.
He said: “The issue will come up for discussion during my meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers but I would also like to say that those who want to leave the country due to growing intolerance are wrong in their approach.”
Mr Manjhi, who was earlier with the JD(U), had left the party after differences between him and Mr Nitish Kumar surfaced early this year. Mr Manjhi later floated his own political party and joined the NDA. According to sources, he is seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister. “He is likely to visit Delhi this month,” HAM(S) spokesperson Danish Rizwan told this newspaper.
Sources said that there was unrest within the BJP after Mr Manjhi’s statement on the issue of intolerance. HAM sources revealed that Mr Manjhi’s office has been receiving phone calls from Central leaders who, according to them, are trying to “pacify Mr Manjhi, asking him to maintain silence on the issue”.
Later, when asked about his reaction on the issue, senior BJP leader and former Bihar state BJP president C.P. Thakur said: “There is no truth in such claims by anyone as there is no intolerance in the country and there has been discussion on the issue in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Why do they want the Prime Minister to speak on every issue ”
Some senior members of Grand Secular Alliance also see this statement as an indication of growing turmoil within the NDA; a JD (U) worker said “this statement suggests that NDA is on verge of split in Bihar”.
