Deploy CISF at Bodh Gaya temple, says Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday reiterated that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) should be deployed at the 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya town that was rocked by a string of bombings Sunday.

'We had requested the central government to deploy the CISF and will write soon to the concerned department for it,' Nitish Kumar told mediapersons here after his weekly janata darbar.

He said the state government will bear the cost of CISF deployment for protection of the revered Mahabodhi temple, which is a huge draw for pilgrims from all over the world.

'Let security of the temple be handed over to CISF as it is the capable agency for it,' he said.

Two monks were injured Sunday when ten bombs went off in quick succession at the Mahabodhi temple complex where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is about 110 km from Patna.

Nitish Kumar said the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee has requested the police to look after the security inside the temple premises.

Till now, the temple committee was managing security inside the premises with the help of a private security agency.

The chief minister admitted that Bihar will learn a hard lesson from this terror attack.

Nitish Kumar criticised friend-turned-foe BJP leaders, saying that they are playing politics after the serial blasts at Bodh Gaya.

Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) ended its 17-year-old alliance with the BJP last month after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was given a larger, pivotal role to play in the BJP.

'Politics should not be played over serial blasts because terror attack can take place anywhere,' he said.

Nitish Kumar targeted opposition BJP and RJD who called for a day-long strike Monday in Gaya to protest failure of the state government to protect the temple.

'BJP and RJD have joined hands against us...they exposed themselves. In future also they will go together,' he said.

Nitish Kumar said that BJP leaders raised slogans against him when he reached Bodh Gaya for on the spot inspection of serial blasts sites.

One can imagine the restlessness of the BJP leaders after they lost power, he said.

Bihar Police chief Abhyanand told mediapersons Monday that 10 bombs exploded, and not nine as was stated earlier Sunday.