Manjhi writes to PM Modi demanding probe in Ram Vilas Paswan's death, points at Chirag's role

Patna, Nov 02: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)'s Jitan Ram Manjhi's on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an investigation into the death of Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) patron Ram Vilas Paswan.

In the letter, HAM raised several questions and pointed at his son Chirag Paswan's role.

"I request the prime minister to order a judicial probe into the death of Ram Vilas Paswan to unravel the dubious role of Chirag Paswan in the matter," Manjhi said.

HAM spokesman Danish Rizwan also wrote a letter to Modi backing the demand while citing a video of Chirag rehearsing before issuing a video message a day after the death of his father where he was purportedly seen joking with the people present and even talking about the texture of his hair.

Responding to the development, Chirag Paswan ridiculed Manjhi for not visiting his ailing father.

"Those who are talking such things about a son should be ashamed of themselves. I had told Manjhi ji about my father's serious condition over phone, yet he never came to see my ailing father," Chirag said.

"The way Manjhi Ji is talking about my father now, why didn't he show so much concern about him when he was hospitalised? Everyone is playing politics over a dead person now, why no one bothered to visit him when he was alive?" he added.

Chirag Paswan accused Nitish Kumar of "scripting a plot to settle poitical scores with him" and instigating the HAM to rake up an emotional issue to blunt the LJP's campaign to prevent him from becoming the chief minister once again. Manjhi wanted to know who ordered the hospital to not issue regular helth bulletins of Paswan, who was "such a big leader".

Ever since his return to the NDA, facilitated by Kumar, Manjhi and his party have been routinely targeting the LJP, which has walked out of the ruling alliance in Bihar and is going solo at the hustings.

Chirag has also frequently launched vicious attacks on the chief minister. Both the HAM and the LJP draw strength from Dalit voters, and Manjhi was not on good terms with Ram Vilas Paswan when the two were partners in the NDA in the 2015 assebly election.