Varanasi MP blames state government

The sitting Congress MP from Varanasi Rajesh Mishra called the blasts in the city the failure of the Mulayam Singh-led Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh.

An agitated Mishra said he was rushing to meet Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

He told rediff.com, "We were not given any clue about the risk to the Sankat Mochan temple. We were told that Gyanvapi mosque and Lord Vishwanth temple were under ther risk of terrorist attack. But we are shocked that the Sankat Mochan temple had no security."

"The Union government had repeatedly warned the Mulayam government that such attacks are possible," he said, adding, "The people of Varanasi are god fearing and peace loving. They will not indulge in communal violence."

Mishra is rushing to Varanasi Wednesday morning and will meet community leaders to keep the calm in Varanasi.

Dr Ratnakar Pandeya , a former Rajya Sabha member and veteran Congress and a resident of Varanasi is also shocked.

"This is a horrible act. Bahut bhayanak hua (it is frightening)," he said. "I was born in Varanasi and lived in city for more than seven decades. Such things are unimaginable."

He said that, "The people of Varanasi were aware that the Kashi-Vishvanath temple and Gyanvapi mosque could be targets for terrorists. But nobody informed us about this temple."

 He said, "What pains me now is that now people will play games to get votes out of the horrific event."

"These politicians who will jump in to make political capital out of it don't know that how the great poet Tulsidas created this temple. He made the "Mitti ki murthi (clay idol) of Hanuman which is still there inside the temple." Tulsidas was running an akhada (wrestling school) in Varanasi before he built the temple.

Pandeya is also confident that the people of Varanasi will not resort to violence.

He said, 'The people of Varanasi are not communal. We have an understanding between us. We are cultured people. Some people will try to create communal tension but our people will not indulge in violence. The Hindus and Muslims of Varanasi understand each others religion. Nobody can provoke us to come out on streets."

He said that people should be told that, "It's not the fault of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This is the act of terror and not a political act."

However he added, " I am aghast to know that only four security men without weapons (they only had lathis) were posted there. There was huge security lapse that has increased the casualty. It is sad!"