BJP criticises Nitish over Bodh Gaya bombings

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The BJP on Sunday attacked the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar for not acting on repeated intelligence inputs regarding possible terrorist attack on the revered Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya town.

Two weeks after the 17-year-old alliance between the BJP and the Janata Dal-United snapped, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the Nitish Kumar-led government has to answer why it did not take any action despite being warned that terror modules were planning to attack the 1,500-year-old temple annually visited by millions from across the world.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "We deeply condemn the dastardly attacks. The Mahabodhi temple presents the very idea of India in one way, where Gautam Buddha attained self-realisation… a place of immense spiritual importance."

"There had been repeated intelligence inputs about possible terror attacks. The state government had also been told about recces that had been conducted by terror elements of the place, especially in context of the violence in Myanmar," said Prasad, referring to the sectarian violence in Myanmar where scores of people have been killed in unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state.

"There were warnings, but no preventive action was taken…Why?" asked Prasad.

He said the "threat of terrorism looming over the country is immense" from the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"Those who are trying to control the Intelligence Bureau for vote bank politics should think about this," he added.

The JD-U broke off with the BJP over the latter appointing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's election panel chief.