Jharkhand: JMM’s befitting reply to BJP MP for targeting Dalit IAS officer, read what is the whole controversy!
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha raised the question through a social media post that why Dalit and tribal officers are often criticized and harassed for refusing to bow to political pressure?
Published on: 16 Oct 2024, 1:23 pm
Ranchi: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey is facing criticism from the political party and Dalit rights supporters for his recent objectionable post on Dalit IAS officer Manjunath Bhajantri, the latest controversy that started after Bhajantri was transferred from the post of Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ranchi. Bhajantri was on Tuesday appointed as the new CEO of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS).
The controversy erupted after Dubey accused Bhajantri of misusing his office to influence elections and he has been criticised especially by the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and social justice activists.
The controversy started when the Jharkhand government transferred Bhajantri just before the announcement of assembly election dates and replaced him with IAS officer Varun Ranjan as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ranchi.
Bhajantri’s appointment came just before the Election Commission’s code of conduct came into effect, raising suspicions of political strategy.
Godda MP Nishikant Dubey wrote on social media platform X (earlier Twitter) on Wednesday after Bhajantri’s transfer, in which he accused the outgoing deputy commissioner of meeting political leaders and influencing Self Help Groups (SHGs) in favour of the ruling JMM and Congress alliance. Dubey’s post alleged that Bhajantri violated the code of conduct and misused his position to influence votes through SHGs, which mainly comprise women from rural communities.
These comments were protested not only by political rivals but also by civil rights activists who criticised Dubey for unfairly targeting a Dalit officer from a humble background.
Even before this, MP Nishikant Dubey has been using abusive language against Bhajantri. He has been writing comments like ‘laughing’ and ‘lousy’ for him.
Screenshot of an earlier post by BJP MP regarding Manjunath Bhajantri
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) immediately condemned Nishikant Dubey’s comments, calling it an attack on Bhajantri’s Dalit identity. The party, in a social media post, questioned why Dalit and tribal officers, such as Bhajantri, are often criticised and harassed for refusing to bow to political pressure.
Who is Manjunath Bhajantri and what is the dispute with Nishikant Dubey
Manjunath Bhajantri, an IIT-Bombay graduate who comes from a rural background, was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi in the last week of September 2024.
Bhajantri, who himself hails from a lower-middle class family, is well aware of the problems of the underprivileged sections. Growing up in a family that made a living by selling wood in the village market of Belagavi, Bhajantri faced poverty and hardships. Financial constraints did not dampen his spirit, and his determination and hard work helped him get admission to IIT without any coaching, and later clear UPSC and become an IAS officer.
In January 2023, Manjunath Bhajantri was awarded the prestigious Indian Express Award for Outstanding Governance in the MSME (Medium and Small Enterprises) category. The award was given to him for his remarkable contribution in launching Devghar Mart, a modern, multi-brand, multi-vendor e-commerce platform promoting artisans and small businesses. His efforts to promote local entrepreneurship and empower small businesses were highlighted as key achievements in this award.
Bhajantri, known for his close ties with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, earlier served as Deputy Commissioner of Deoghar, where he had repeated confrontations with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Bhajantri filed over 37 FIRs against Dubey for various offences.
Their rivalry began during the Madhupur by-election of April 2021, when Bhajantri, as the district electoral officer, accused Dubey of violating the model code of conduct. Though the Election Commission reprimanded Bhajantri for the delay in filing the complaint, no disciplinary action was taken against him.
The confrontation escalated in August 2022 when Dubey and others were accused of trespassing at the Deoghar airport, leading to an FIR against Dubey. In response, Dubey filed a “zero FIR” accusing Bhajantri of political bias.
Dubey often accused Bhajantri of working as a political agent for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), claiming that of the three districts in his constituency, only Deoghar, where Bhajantri was working, had multiple FIRs filed against him.
Bhajantri, however, termed these FIRs as valid and expressed his commitment to follow the law, saying that he would continue to take similar action if the law is violated.
