NEW DELHI: The blast at a mosque in Beed, Maharashtra, on Sunday has triggered sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who have accused the state government of fostering an atmosphere of hate.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi on Monday blamed Maharashtra ministers and the chief minister for fueling hatred against Muslims, claiming it led to the attack.
“When ministers and even the chief minister say things against Muslims every day, it creates hatred in the minds of the common man. This blast is a result of that,” Azmi told ANI.
He demanded strict action against the culprits and questioned the delay in response, arguing that a “bulldozer action” would have been taken swiftly if the accused had been Muslim.
“If I see someone involved in a blast, I demand strict action. NIA and ATS must investigate. If a Muslim had done this, bulldozers would have rolled in immediately. But in this case, the bulldozer seems to be punctured,” he remarked.
AIMIM National Spokesperson Waris Pathan urged the Maharashtra government to invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against those responsible for the blast.
“Who encourages them? They are emboldened by the hate speeches that BJP leaders give daily. The accused should be tried under UAPA in a fast-track court and given severe punishment. Those BJP leaders spreading hate should also be punished to prevent such incidents in the future,” Pathan told ANI.
The explosion, which occurred inside the mosque, caused significant damage to the structure. Police have arrested two individuals for allegedly using gelatin sticks to carry out the blast.
Superintendent of police (SP) Navneet Kanwat confirmed the arrests, stating that the village sarpanch alerted authorities around 4am.
“Senior officers and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) team reached the spot. We learned that the accused had used gelatin to trigger the explosion. By 6 am, both suspects were arrested,” SP Kanwat said.
