Patna,(BiharTimes): The Rajnagar temple episode involving the chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has acquired a political dimension after his ministerial colleague Nitish Mishra and the Janata Dal (United) MLC, Vinod Kumar Singh––both of whom had accompanied the CM to that temple on August 18––denied that any such thing had happened. They said that the CM was perhaps misinformed about the incident.

Manjhi, while speaking at a function in which his minister Ram Lakhan Ram Raman was present, quoted the latter as telling him that the temple was washed after the visit by the chief minister.

Raman, however, later told the mediapersons that he had not said any such thing to Manjhi and that the latter had got mixed up.

Raman, however, had not accompanied the CM to the temple at Brahmin-dominated Tharhi village under Rajnagar Assembly segment under Madhubani district on August 18.

This confusion gave Giriraj Singh, the BJP MP amd former ministerial colleague of Manjhi, an ample opportunity to accuse the latter of dividing the society on caste lines.

Another BJP leader Yogendra Paswan, himself a Dalit, accused the chief minister of taking political mileage of a non-issue.

Paswan said that the chief minister should open his mouth after applying his mind. He has made a record of telling lies, the BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, the state president of the BJP Mangal Pandey said the truth must come out. If such things have happened, there should be immediate action against such people.

Congress leader Chandan Yadav also said that if such thing happened, it is a blot on democracy. The matter should be thoroughly investigated.

On he other hand the rural development minister Nitish Mishra explained that he and Vinod Singh had accompanied the temple which does not have any deity as much but an earthen pind. It is an ancient Kali temple, which has been open to all.

Even district magistrates, BDOs and other government officials coming from Mahadalit castes visit it.

Nitish Mishra said no such thing happened. Rather, the chief minister was overwhelmed with the reception. He may have been misinformed.

Like the pujari of the said temple he too said that the temple is washed twice––at 4 AM and 4 PM everyday. In fact it could not be washed for the second time on August 18 because of the temple’s preoccupation with the visit of the chief minister, he added.

Party MLC Vinod Kumar Singh had to say the samething.He said that Ram Lakhan Ram Raman must have been misinformed by his people.

In private Janata Dal (United) leaders are a bit confused by this latest development involving the chief minister.

However, they are quick to add that such incident could have taken place as it had happened with the then Union minister and a powerful Dalit leader (now late) Jagjiwan Ram, father of outgoing Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar.