Buddhist holy sites in Bodh Gaya rocked with eight synchronized bomb blasts on Sunday. Terror struck. Intelligence had been clued up for some time on a possible terrorist attack on the Mahabodhi temple complex. The warning went unheeded and the terrorists made a surprise hit. It showed the utter inefficiency of the local police. The attack occurred in the wee hours of the morning and so only two persons were injured. But that is small comfort and the authorities need to tighten their vigil. The perpetrators have to be captured soon. In India, terrorists are nabbed long after they strike. All possibilities have to be kept in mind while investigating these attacks. It is understood that the Indian Mujahideen had some time ago indicated that they had the Buddhist shrines in Bodh Gaya on their hit list. The motive is to seek revenge for riots against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The link is tenuous and stretches from a faraway land. The LeT Chief Hafiz Sayeed had also warned the Indian government against this occurrence. The logic seems bizarre.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is reputed to have improved law and order in the state significantly. But the Bodh Gaya tragedy gives the lie to the claim. However, it will not do to slam Nitish Kumar and his government. The whole country’s security is at stake. The issue must not be politicized. The war on terror calls for concerted resistance from all political parties in all states. The ruling parties and their opposition must join hands to combat the threat.