Finally, Mahabodhi temple gets CISF cover

The Centre has decided to bring the world famous Mahabodhi Shrine which was rocked by a series of blasts on July 7 under the security cover of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

This is the first time that a religious structure has been been provided security by the CISF that usually guards places of vital installation like airports, shipping ports, atomic plants, PSUs and key government buildings besides some key private sector offices under terror threat and in rare cases historical and national monuments like Taj Mahal.

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde overruled objections raised by the CISF that had earlier rejected the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar request for providing CISF cover to Mahabodhi temple on the grounds that under the CISF Act it was not mandated to provide security to religious places.

Objecting to Bihar’s request, CISF had also raised apprehensions that entertaining one such request would open the floodgates for several such other demands for which it was not properly equipped.

However, weighing the importance of Mahabodhi shrine which is thronged by foreigners, especially people from South East Asian countries like Japan and important dignitaries through out the year, the union home ministry decided to yield to Bihar government’s request.

The expenditure incurred on the CISF cover will be borne by the Bihar government, home ministry sources clarified.