Indian President, PM Condemn Bodh Gaya Serial Blasts

New Delhi, July 8, IRNA – India’s President, Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday condemned the serial blasts at Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya in Bihar state, as a senseless act of violence to target innocent pilgrims. Nine serial explosions on Sunday rocked the internationally renowned temple town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar State, including four in the Mahabodhi Temple complex, injuring two monks in the blasts suspected to be engineered by some terrorist organisation. Expressing deep anguish over the blasts, Pranab said it was a ˈsenseless act of violence targeting innocent pilgrims and monks who had gathered to worship at this temple dedicated to the great apostle of peace - Gautam Buddhaˈ. In a statement, the President hoped for the speedy recovery of those injured in the blasts. Asking people to maintain calm and restraint, he asked them to cooperate with the authorities in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh strongly condemned the terror strike on the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya and said such attacks on religious places will ˈnever be toleratedˈ. ˈThe Prime Minister has strongly condemned the blasts in around the sacred Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya. He has said that our composite culture and traditions teach us respect for all religions and such attacks on religious places will never be tolerated,ˈ a Prime Ministerˈs Office release said here. The Prime Minister also wished speedy recovery to the people injured in the attack. The Mahabodhi Temple is frequented by Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka, China and Japan and the whole of southeast Asia. Bodh Gaya Buddhist temple, around 10 km from Gaya and 100 km from capital Patna, is world famous. Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment here under the Mahabodhi tree in the temple premises./end