Quake effect: Jitan Manjhi slams CM Nitish Kumar over relief coordination

Patna, April 30: Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi lashed out at the Nitish Kumar government accusing it of doing a bad job in coordinating relief work in the state which was affected by the April 26 earthquake. [Manisha Koirala speaks on Nepal earthquake relief]

Fifty-six people lost their lives in Bihar, the Indian state with the most casualties. Over 5,000 lost their lives in Nepal, where the epicentre of the quake lied. [Outrage over Pakistan sending 'beef masala' to Nepal as quake aid]

Manjhi, who quit power after a serious power struggle with Nitish Kumar, who himself had picked the former as his successor after the 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, said hundreds of thousands of earthquake victims were left without food, water and medical treatment even though the Nitish Kumar government claimed of taking rapid action.

Manjhi said the talk about speedy relief action was just a eyewash as he saw horrible conditions prevailing in places like Darbhanga, Purnia, Samastipur and Sitamarhi. He said those places were yet to see relief as claimed by the chief minister.

Manjhi, who belongs to the Mushahara community, a very backward class, also accused Nitish Kumar of fooling Home Minister Rajnath Singh who earlier praised CM Nitish Kumar of leading an impressive relief operation. He said Nitish Kumar briefed the home minister on the basis of the paperwork prepared by the officials. He said the Bihar chief minister had no idea about the ground reality.

Manjhi also cited the poor conditions in the hospitals of Bihar and their pathetic medical services to cater to the quake victims.

Oneindia News