PATNA: Politics over the torching of 100 houses belonging to the Mahadalit community in Bihar’s Nawada escalated after former Bihar Chief Minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday alleged the involvement of members of the Yadav and Paswan communities in the arson.
“People from the Yadav community instigated members of the Paswan community to carry out the incident, ” Union MSME Minister Manjhi said in his video statement.
“The district police arrested 12 individuals from the Yadav caste, who had targeted the Mahadalit community. The Yadavs, eyeing the land, manipulated the Paswan community members into acting against the Mahadalits, aiming to displace them from the land they had been living on for a decade, ” Manjhi said.
This statement has stirred controversy in Bihar's political circles, as it touches on sensitive caste dynamics that have historically played a significant role in the state's politics.
By bringing caste into the equation, Manjhi has introduced a divisive element, that will provoke reactions from various political and social groups, especially the Opposition parties, including the RJD, which is traditionally associated with the Yadav community.
Given the complex caste-based political fabric of Bihar, these remarks have the potential to inflame tensions, not just around the specific incident but also in the broader political landscape.
The incident in Nawada has ignited a fierce political battle in Bihar, with several prominent leaders weighing in, further intensifying the situation.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav slammed Union Minister Manjhi for blaming the Yadav community for the arson.
The former Bihar Chief Minister accused Manjhi of misleading the public and emphasised that the issue lies in the failure of law and order in Bihar, calling the Nawada incident "absolutely wrong."
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav strongly criticised the Nitish Kumar-led "double engine government."
He accused the government of being indifferent and neglecting the needs of Dalits and the poor.
Tejashwi also highlighted the growing atrocities against Dalits, stressing that these actions would not be tolerated.
Chirag Paswan, one of the key political figures in Bihar and a Union Minister, also condemned the incident.
Despite being part of the ruling alliance, Paswan demanded swift action by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, urging him to ensure that the accused were arrested and brought to justice.
His call for strong action reflects his concern about the seriousness of the incident.
Akhilesh Prasad Singh, the President of Bihar Congress, launched a strong attack on Nitish Kumar's government, calling the incident "inhuman."
Singh announced that the Congress would send a team to Nawada to support the affected people and demanded severe punishment for those responsible.
This incident has become a flashpoint for Bihar's political leaders, with Opposition parties slamming the state's governance under Nitish Kumar and the NDA.