Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said the Central Government is considering the request for deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at Bodh Gaya temple in Bihar after the serial blasts there.
Shinde, who visited Bodh Gaya along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, said the government will consider CISF security for holy sites.
The two leaders met officials of the investigation agencies and Bihar Government during which they reviewed the security arrangements after blasts in the temple complex.
The Home Minister after the review meeting said the probe is on by NIA, and added that the investigators would look at all possible angles into the blast.
Shinde informed that cylinders filled with ball bearing were planted at the temple in the night.
The Home Minister and Congress President's visit to Bodh Gaya came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the Centre, and alleged that it was incompetent in tackling terror attacks in the country.
BJP President Rajnath Singh, who visited Bodh Gaya along with his senior party colleague Arun Jaitley yesterday, said that the ruling party at the Centre needs to exhibit greater will to fight terrorism.
"The UPA Government has proven to be a failure on this. We demand that the government comes up with a comprehensive plan so as to face any challenge, be it any kind of attacks. We urge the Central Government to take immediate steps to secure this temple site," he said.
Singh alleged that the Congress Party has pitted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Intelligence Bureau (IB).
"Security agencies should not be misused for politics. They need to coordinate with each other to fight challenges like terrorism," said Singh.
"If there was an intelligence input, then the security at main Buddhist centers should have been stepped up," he added, while taking a jibe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Jaitley on his part lashed out at the Centre, and said that it has made intelligence agencies an issue of vote bank politics.
"UPA has bartered security issues with vote bank politics," he said.
The Nitish Kumar Government in Bihar has come under sharp criticism following the terror strike in the Mahabodhi temple complex.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun probing the serial blasts, which rocked the temple town of Bodh Gaya on Sunday. Two monks were injured in the nine low intensity blasts.
Security agencies suspect that Indian Mujahideen may be behind Sunday's multiple blasts. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blasts.
The Home Ministry has directed all states to ensure foolproof security at Buddhist shrines and Tibetan settlements.
