Rajnath Singh attacks Centre, Nitish Kumar; Says Bihar slipping back to anarchy

PATNA: BJP president Rajnath Singh appeared to exercise restraint in attacking his party’s former partner, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, for the recent blasts at Bodh Gaya, even as he lashed out at the JD (U) leader on his visit to Bihar on Tuesday.

“The Centre should have coordinated with the state government for putting in place an effective security system at the temple. No state alone can counter terrorism on its own,” Singh said in Patna, referring to the tip-off provided by IB nine months ago.

Singh, who came here after visiting the site of the blasts along with his colleague Arun Jaitley, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, nonetheless slammed the state government on other issues such as the police firing in which six tribals were killed in Baga last month.

“Nitishji has lost the moral authority to rule Bihar. Twenty days after the split (with BJP), Bihar is again slipping back to the days of anarchy reminiscent of Lalu era,” Singh said. Exhorting his party workers to put up a good show, Jaitley said both JD (U) and BJP had worked in tandem in the 2005 state assembly polls to relieve the state of RJD’s “jungle raj”.

“It is time the BJP workers showed the same resolve so that it could be voted to power in Bihar,” Jaitley said.

Mahabodhi Blasts Probe Given to NIA

NEW DELHI: The probe into the multiple blasts in Bodh Gaya was on Tuesday night handed over to NIA by the Centre following a request from the Bihar government. The home ministry has notified that the probe in the July 7 serial blasts case stand transferred to NIA from Bihar Police. A team of NIA had reached Bodh Gaya on Sunday evening, hours after the temple town was hit by the terror attack.