Taking the exchange of barbs between him and BJP leaders one step further, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that the BJP has found a new friend in the RJD as both parties are giving final shape to their strategy for defeating the JD (U) in the election.
After his weekly Janata Darbar at the residence, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told newspersons on Monday that the unity between the BJP and the RJD is visible not only at ground level but the leaders of both parties are also holding secret meetings for reaching at a seat adjustment in the 2015 State election with the purpose of defeating the JD (U) in the election.
Responding to a query on the separate bandh calls given by RJD and BJP against the terror strike at Bodh Gaya, he said that the BJP can go to any extent to reoccupy the power in the State and it even will not mind forging an alliance with the RJD.
Similarly, RJD which was ousted from the power in 2005 is also very restless and wants to return to the power at any cost and will find nothing wrong in entering into a friendship with the BJP.
Stating that the Bodh Gaya blasts should be condemned in the harshest way, Chief Minister said that his political opponents are making divisive statements when one expects uniformity of comments and views from everybody when a temple with international recognition had become the victim of the terror attack.
“We should have demonstrated both political and social unity in such a situation but we are behaving in a different manner,” he commented.
Nitish Kumar said that the responsibility of the internal security of the Mahabodhi temple was entrusted with Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) while external security was the responsibility of the police.
After the blasts, internal security of the temple, which was earlier managed by the private security guards will now be the responsibility of the State police, Chief Minister said that the State Government will request the Centre to deploy jawans of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the CISF is highly capable of protecting vital installations.
BTMC has also passed an unanimous resolution, favouring deployment of CISF jawans for the security of the Mahabodhi temple and State Home Department will send a proposal to the Centre very soon for this purpose.
The State Government will bear the financial burden that will be incured due to the deployment of CISF jawans at the temple premises. The State Government has also issued red alert for heightening security cover in other religious places in the State.
The State Government has taken the terror strike with all seriously and it has also learnt some lessons from the strike, he added.
It is only a matter of great satisfaction that sanctum sanctorum of the Mahabodhi temple was not damaged in the terror strike and the Bodhi tree also remained unscathed.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government also responded to the strike very swiftly and he himself visited the blast sites immediately.
He said that he had received a call from Sri lankan President following the blast, adding that the President had extended his full support to him at this hour. He said that other important dignitarie had also made calls to him, condemning the terror strike as well as pledging their full support to him.
One should not indulge in unnecessary speculation when investigating agencies are doing their work, he added.