Patna blasts: Without aide of Bihar police, was our onus to handle crowds, says Arun Jaitley

NEW DELHI: Slamming the Bihar government for 'lax' security at BJP's Hunkaar rally in Patna where several blasts took place, Arun Jaitley on Monday strongly condemned the attack. "We are still living in a very vulnerable security environment. Terrorists can cause disturbance in any part of the country, that is a matter of concern," Jaitley said.


"We are part of a stable democracy. How is it that a rally in the run up to elections, with lakhs of people can witness such blasts," Jaitley questioned. "This is a lesson for central agencies to brace up for the challenge in the next 6 months when election rallies will kick in," he said.

Stating that the consequences could have been frightening and unprecedented, Jaitley said, "There is no explanation to justify the presence of detonators and timers in a gathering on such a big scale. People were allowed to enter rally without being frisked. Detonators, timers, explosives had already infiltrated the crowds," Jaitley said.

"Without the aide of Bihar police, it was our onus to decide how to handle the crowds gathered for the rally. We were forced to take the situation in our hands, using our own common sense and no expertise," Jaitley hit out.

Attacking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Jaitley said, "By saying that there was no intelligence alert ahead of the Hunkaar Rally, the Bihar CM cannot shrug off his responsibilities. According to Times Now the Intelligence Bureau had given an intimation."

Five people were killed and 83 injured in six serial bomb blasts near the venue of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally on Sunday.

Just a couple of hours before the six multiple explosions, a crude bomb went off in a newly constructed toilet at Platform 10 at the Patna railway station, two km from the venue BJP's 'Hunkar(battle cry) rally' of the party's prime ministerial candidate.