Patna: BJP on Monday demanded a CBI inquiry into
the theft of 36 rare manuscripts from the archives of two
premier institutes in Bihar, saying the state had already
recommended it.
"We request the Centre to concede the state`s demand for
CBI probe as the stolen manuscripts are not only rare but are
also among the cultural assets of the nation," BJP spokesman
Vinod Narayan Jha said.
"Congress leaders from the Mithila belt who flaunt
development of the region should exert pressure on the UPA
government at the Centre for handing over the probe to the
investigating agency," he said.
The manuscripts were stolen from the archives of Mithila
Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit
Learning and Sanskrit University both in Darbhanga.
The Mithila Sanskrit Research Institute, as it is
popularly known, has 12,000 manuscripts dating back to 9th
century to 18th century and 26 rare ones were stolen from it
on March 28, 2003. A month later, 10 manuscripts were stolen
from the archive of the Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University.
Soon after coming to power, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
had recommended a CBI probe into the two theft cases, he said.
Asked about BJP`s membership drive, Jha said 30 lakh
people have been enrolled as its members so far and hoped that
the target of 51 lakh members could be achieved.
Bureau Report
