Bihar: Jitan Ram Manjhi pushes for Dalit unity at Samagam rally 

Patna, Feb 28 (IANS) Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi made a strong pitch for Dalit political unity during the Samagam rally in Bihar’s Gandhi Maidan on Friday.

The event, attended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, and other NDA leaders, served as a platform for Manjhi to mobilise Dalit voters ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

Referring to Baba Saheb Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s philosophy, Manjhi said, “Politics is the key, and development is the lock. If Dalits do not hold the key, they cannot open the lock and will continue to struggle.”

He highlighted the numerical strength of the Dalit community, asserting that with 30 per cent of Bihar’s population, they should have greater control over political power.

“Our population is the highest, not less than 30 per cent. But who has the power? Ambedkar made us Dalits, he did not divide us into many castes. If your 30 per cent population unites, then there will be no need to ask anyone. That is why this Samagam has been called. Assembly elections are going to be held in 2025. I want to urge Dalits to unite and vote collectively to influence governance and policymaking,” Manjhi said.

He demanded the Dalit classification and reservation for the Dalit community in Bihar. He pushed for classification among Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) based on literacy and socio-economic status.

“I urged the Bihar government to survey Dalit representation in Class I and Class II officer positions. No Dalit officer is here. Hence, I urge the Chief Minister to take affirmative action,” Manjhi said.

He advocated for the formation of a Safai Karamchari Commission in Bihar, similar to other states and the central government, to address sanitation workers' issues.

The speech comes amid speculation of friction between Manjhi’s party, Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS), and the BJP-JDU alliance after his son, Santosh Kumar Suman, lost two key ministries in the Cabinet reshuffle held on Thursday.

With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections approaching, Manjhi’s remarks indicate a push for greater Dalit representation and political consolidation.