Scrapping of Bihar ex-CM decisions invites criticism

A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar annulled decisions taken by his predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Cabinet, the JD(U)’s ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and NDA partner LJP joined hands to slam the chief minister for rescinding several decisions which were “in the interest of the poor and downtrodden.”

“Not all the decisions taken by Manjhi between February 10 and 19 were wrong. Some decisions were quite beneficial for the marginalised section of the society and would have had far reaching consequences in the forthcoming Assembly poll. Nitish, therefore, should have avoided rescinding them,” said RJD leader and former minister Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, expressing his party’s displeasure.

The LJP, too, minced no words in slamming Kumar. “Nitish has set a bad precedence. Once he demits office in November, the person who replaces him could also do the same and annul decisions taken by Nitish Cabinet,” said Pashupati Kumar Paras, the Bihar LJP chief and younger brother of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Nitish, on his part, justified his move. “The decisions, which I have annulled, were not taken as per the established rules and procedure,” he said, reiterating that from the day he took oath, he had steadfastly maintained that he would review all the decisions taken by his predecessor.

Meanwhile, policemen in Bihar are up in arms over Nitish rescinding the decision which allowed them 13 months salary in a year besides raising the retirement age of homeguard jawans.

“We are giving Nitish regime time till March 27 to reconsider the Wednesday decision. Or else, the entire policemen from Bihar will resort to strike, which could cripple the functioning of police in state,” said Mrityunjay Singh of Bihar Policemen’s Association, adding that no cop would play Holi on Friday to protest Nitish’s decision.

The Manjhi camp, too, decided to observe fast on the day of Holi and skip the festival. “Nitish is back to his autocratic style of functioning. The problem with him is that he is too arrogant and is hence under the illusion that only he has brains,” said former minister in Manjhi’s Cabinet Brishen Patel.

“All the legislators of Manjhi’s recently-floated outfit HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) would observe fast during Holi. From March 9 onwards, we will educate people on how Nitish has rescinded our decisions to give reservations to SC/STs and women in government contracts or annulled the decision to hike allowances for cops,” Patel added.