Centre, state blamed, Kumar's visit 'eyewash' : Modi

Blaming both central and Bihar governments for 'collectively failing' to prevent the terror attack in Bodh Gaya despite the IB and Delhi police alerts, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi hit out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar calling his visit to the Buddhist pilgrim town after Sunday's blast as mere 'eyewash'.
Modi, former deputy chief minister who is sitting on a 24-hour fast here in protest against the terror attack, told newsmen that the serial blasts could have been averted had adequate security arrangements been put in place at Mahabodhi temple and adjoining areas after the alerts.
"The required security measures were not in place at the temple and adjoining areas even after Delhi police publicly exposed an Indian Mujahideen module's plans to carry out a terror attack in the temple town in October last year and IB tipped about the same subsequently," he said.

"There was simply a lack of coordination between the centre and state government," he said adding the central government and its agencies were informed of the terror attack early morning yesterday but the NIA and NSG teams took 12 hours to reach Bodh Gaya for the probe.
"This speaks volumes about the Centre's callous approach ... Precious evidences were allowed to get damaged or washed away in the heavy shower that took place at Bodh Gaya yesterday afternoon," said Modi, who is also protesting against the Bagaha firing and Bihar government's insensitivity towards stranded pilgrims from the state in Uttarakhand.

The Centre should explain the delay in the arrival of NIA/NSG teams, he demanded and added Kumar could have averted the first terrorist attack in the state by throwing a state police security blanket at the temple town after the intelligence warnings.
Hitting out at the former ally, Modi said Kumar's visit to Bodh Gaya as an 'eyewash' as he had appeared unperturbed about the attack and had in mind political agendas of fighting BJP and its poll campaign chief Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Kumar held a strategic meeting with JD(U) leaders soon after his return from Bodh Gaya. "Any other chief minister would have cancelled all political engagements and focussed on addressing issues related to terror attack," he said.