New Delhi: Seeking to inject politics, the BJP yesterday accused the Centre and the Bihar government of failure to prevent the Patna blasts that was "aimed at liquidating" Narendra Modi and demanded upgrading of security for him.
However, the Centre rejected the BJP's charge and said adequate and required security has been given to Modi ruling out SPG cover because it needs legal amendment.
The morning after the BJP Parliamentary Board passed a resolution saying the blasts was an attempt to liquidate the BJP leaders present, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar held the Centre and the Nitish Kumar government responsible for the "murderous attack" on Modi in Patna.
Citing the blasts and media reports that there is a heightened threat to its prime ministerial candidate, he alleged that there was "gross negligence" on the part the two governments as even standard operating procedures for security like frisking, sanitisation of the area and metal detectors were not used at the Patna rally.
"We cannot do politics on terror. The country has lost two Prime Ministers due to terrorism and we should learn lessons from this.
"We hope the Centre will take note of the threat to Narendra Modi and not do politics on the issue of security. We demand that Modi be provided adequate security," he said.
Reacting to BJP's charge, Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said security for Modi has already been tightened.
"We have given him (Modi) NSG security which is very high level of security. We have also ordered conducting advance security drill before his visit to any place," Singh said.
Singh said security to a person is given according to his or her threat perception and the cover for Modi has been provided according to his threat perception.
Speaking in Petropole in West Bengal, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Modi has been given NSG security and to provide SPG cover, Parliamentary approval is needed.
Javadekar maintained that the lapses in security at the October 27 rally were "glaring" and these should not be repeated. The main Opposition also insisted that the involvement of terror groups as also Pakistan and ISI should be probed by the government.
"The attack was planned and part of a conspiracy to liquidate Modi, BJP President Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and the top party leadership of Bihar. The terrorists wanted to kill these leaders and also cause a stampede," Javadekar said.
The party has demanded that the Centre also give directions to the states to provide the requisite security to Modi whenever he visits. Modi is expected to address around 100 rallies across the country in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.
It also sought to know why the Congress has fallen silent after an initial formal condemnation of the blasts.
"What does the Congress have to say in the light of new facts which have emerged about the blasts," Javadekar said, adding that the government should not be soft on terror.
Asked what kind of security BJP wants for Modi, Javadekar said, "Government knows what should be done".
The party holds both the Centre and the Nitish Kumar government responsible for the "murderous attack" on Modi and others at the Gandhi Maidan rally.
"This was an attempt to liquidate the BJP leaders present at the rally. It was an attempt to inflict fatal injuries on the people present at the rally. Had the leaders and the audience not acted with exemplary restraint, panic and a resultant stampede could not have been avoided," Javadekar said.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde also showed agreement with the decision and said SPG was provided according to the law of the country.
"There is a law in the country. SPG is given according to the country's law. Modi is already having NSG cover," Shinde told reporters here when asked about providing SPG cover to Modi.
