Patna, June 11: A letter recommending a job for a person with stunted growth left Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare minister Jitan Ram Manjhi embarrassed today with chief minister Nitish Kumar rebuking him in front of a crowd for such an “unethical practice”.

Nitish gave a piece of his mind to his cabinet colleague on finding Omkar Kumar Singh (24), a resident of Sujan Chak village in Mahapur block of Gaya district, carrying the note of recommendation signed by Manjhi on the latter’s official letter head.

Omkar, who is only 2-ft-tall, was in the city with mother Sobha Devi to meet the chief minister at his janata darbar with a complaint that despite Manjhi’s recommendation, he did not get a job in the education department. When Omkar handed Nitish the letter that Manjhi had written a year ago, the chief minister was livid. “I have caught him (Manjhi) today. He is using his official letter pad for such recommendations. Where is he? Call him right now. I want to meet him. This is not a good practice,” the chief minister ordered the officials around.

An official immediately ran towards Manjhi who was sitting at a distance. “Sir, the chief minister is calling you. Please rush,” he told Manjhi.

Usually, department secretaries and principal secretaries move along with the chief minister when he meets physically challenged complainants, while the ministers remain in their respective seats.

Majhi, who is in his sixties, came running to the chief minister. Nitish, visibly angry, told him: “What is this Manjhiji? Why have you made a recommendation on your official pad? Is this a way to solve common people’s problems? You are not supposed to write such personal letters to any department.”

Fumbling for words, Manji replied: “Sir, I had done this to show him some sympathy.”

Nitish was, however, not impressed with his reply and again rebuked him. “No, this is not the way to show sympathy. I had never done this when I was a minister. How can you justify your act?”

All of a sudden Sobhaintervened and told the chief minister: “But sir how will my son get a job? Mantriji ne wada kiya thaa (The minister had pledged a job). What should I do now?”

Nitish told her that he could not do anything. “You better talk to the minister and stage a dharna in front of his house until your problem is solved. He has assured you that he would give a job to your son. Then he is the one who will solve your problem. Go and sit on a dharna… he will feed you as well,” he said and moved on to another direction.