A day after a powerful explosion in a madrasa in Bihar’s Banka district, ruling NDA alliance partners in the State, the BJP and the JD(U), on Wednesday came face to face on the incident. Police suspect an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) might have caused the blast.
Demanding that such educational institutions be banned across the State, BJP MLA from Bisfi in Madhubani district, Hari Bhushan Thakur, said, “In madrasas and mosques in Bihar, education of terrorism is being given. Training to make bombs and to incite violence is given in madrasas. Children should be taken out from madrasas and given common education.”
Probe demanded
Mr. Thakur, in a video post, added, “The minority community in Bihar has been harassing Dalits. Incidents of Jamui, Gopalganj and Purnia are examples. I want a thorough investigation into the incident to ascertain under what circumstances the explosion took place.”
JD(U) leader and party MLC Gulam Rasool Balyawi criticised the BJP MLA’s comment. He said, “Those making such comments should be sent to mental asylum.”
“During the election, the BJP men do not see mosques and madrasas but soon after winning they come to their real agenda,” Mr. Balyawi said.
On Tuesday, a powerful explosion took place in a madrasa near a mosque in Chamreli Navtolia village under the Banka town police station limits. The madrasa building collapsed and the Imam, Abdul Sattar Mobin, was killed in the explosion. The adjacent mosque was badly damaged. Due to the lockdown, the madrasa was non-functional and it is believed that the Imam was the sole resident.
However, after the explosion, residents of the village left the place, leaving behind women and the elderly.
The district police, probing the blast, suspected use of IED.
“We are collecting details and a FSL team too has reached the spot,” Bhagalpur zone DIG Sujeet Kumar said.
District Superintendent of Police Arvind Kumar Gupta said, “It was a powerful blast.”
