Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi fakes age and assets in declarations; party fumes

Patna, Feb 2: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has once again landed into fresh controversy over three varying declarations of age and assets made by him during the last 13 months. This has once again given rival BJP and his detractors in JD(U) train their guns on Bihar CM.

A section of media projected lacunae about Manjhi's age and immovable assets in at least three affidavits submitted by him in the past one year.

The chief minister had mentioned his age at about 68 years at one place, while the same stood at 71 years and 70 years in two other affidavits and failed to declare his immovable asset in one of affidavits, while declared the same as five acre land in another document, the media reports said.

After coming under scanner for alleged divergent figures about his age and assets in affidavits submitted on different occasions, Manjhi stood by details submitted during last year's general elections.

"I stand by my age (70 years) and assets (immovable) that I had furnished in affidavit submitted during filing of nominations during general elections last year," he told reporters on Sunday.

Manjhi had contested from Gaya (SC) Lok Sabha seat last year and stood third.

"There is nothing wrong about details related to my age and assets," the chief minister said in reply to a volley of questions by the media persons at a function in the state capital before hastily getting into car.

The BJP and a section of the ruling JD(U) mounted attack on Manjhi following the report and asked him to come forward to tell the truth.

"The chief minister has caused embarrassment to himself and his government by declaring different age and assets," former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said and called upon the former to explain the truth.

Bihar unit JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, who had attacked Manjhi on numerous occasions last month exposing turf war between the incumbent chief minister and his predecessor Nitish Kumar said Manjhi showed callousness by failing to report his correct age and assets in official documents.

"It reflects character of a person," Kumar told reporters.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)