Mumbai, July 29 : Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has stated that the serial bomb blast in Ahmedabad was a challenge thrown by Muslim fanaticists at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Thackeray stated this in an editorial in the party mouthpiece ''Saamana''.

“Modi should take up the gauntlet and crush Islamic terrorism with an iron hand and not just ask the army to do a flag-march,” said the Shiv Sena supremo.

The editorial said, "Pakistan always had prior information about any terror attack on the Indian soil.”

Thackeray suggested that if America was a genuine friend of India, then it should think of ‘wiping out Pakistan from the world map as a remedy to annihilate the predator in the form of Islamic terrorism.’

At least 16 coordinated blasts took place in Ahmedabad on July 26 leaving over 40 dead and more than 100 injured. The blasts took place within a span of 60-70 minutes in crowded market areas of the city.

There were three blasts in Maninagar, the constituency of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and one live bomb was defused by the bomb disposal squad. (ANI)