Logo

Logo

Slugfest on Bodhgaya

BJP HITS BACK AT CONGRESS’ digvijay singh STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE   New Delhi, 8 July A political slugfest has broken…

BJP HITS BACK AT CONGRESS’ digvijay singh
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE  
New Delhi, 8 July
A political slugfest has broken out between different parties, especially between the ruling Congress and the principal Opposition BJP, over the serial terror blasts that rocked the Mahabodhi temple complex and adjoining areas at Bodh Gaya in Bihar yesterday.
The political scenario in Bihar and the approaching Lok Sabha elections clearly appeared to have fuelled this bitter and hostile fireworks.     
Firing away a series of tweets in addition to making public statements, the Congress general secretary Mr Digvijay Singh slammed the BJP leaders for their alleged bid to “politicise” the Bodh Gaya blasts and “suggesting Muslim involvement” in it without waiting for the outcome of the investigations into the outrage.   
Mr Singh also brought in the Gujarat chief minister Mr Narendra Modi ~ the BJP’s Lok Sabha poll campaign panel chief ~ and his aide, the BJP general secretary in charge of UP affairs Mr Amit Shah, into the controversy. 
In his consecutive posts on Twitter, Mr Singh alleged: “Aren’t they suggesting a Muslim involvement without full investigation?… Flip side of this. Amit Shah promises a Grand Temple at Ayodhya. Modi addresses Bihar BJP workers and asks them to teach Nitish a lesson…Next day bomb blasts at Mahabodhi Temple. Is there a connect? I don’t know. Allow NIA to complete investigation please!”
The BJP hit back at Mr Singh, with its general secretary Mr Ananth Kumar saying that his comments should not be taken seriously as they have no meaning or significance. “Digvijay Singh talks as if he has lost his balance,” Mr Kumar charged.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) did not endorse Mr Singh’s remarks, but it also sought to defend  him.  
“Congress believes that there should be no kite-flying or politics on such grave incidents (like Bodh Gaya blasts)… we would not like to point fingers at anyone before the investigation is completed by the NIA or the state  government. There should be no politics on such incidents.”

Blasts similar to other IM operations

New Delhi, 8 July: The preliminary forensic reports on yesterday’s serial blasts at Bodh Gaya show a resemblance to other low intensity blasts allegedly planted by Indian Mujahideen. The improvised explosive devices had a mix of ammonium nitrate and sulphur. They were packed in cylinders and analog clock timers were used to trigger the blasts, revealed the preliminary report of the National Security Guard (NSG) submitted to the Union government today.
An NSG team had gone to Bodh Gaya with a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to assist in the probe. It picked up samples from the area, examined them and  established similarity with other IM operations, sources said.
The NSG post-blast analysis also said that some splinters were put in the ammonium nitrate, sulphur and pottassium emulsion to cause damage to various locations in the temple complex. The explosives were packed and kept in small cylinders which are used for commercial purposes, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Buddhists’ holiest shrine reopened today with devotees queing and monks  praying for return of peace.    sns

Advertisement

Advertisement