UP seeks central forces to tackle Babri verdict fallout
September 01, 2010 02:11 IST
The Uttar Pradesh government has urged the Union Home ministry to provide 400 companies of central paramilitary forces in order to tackle the fallout of the much-awaited verdict in the Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit.
A three-judge special bench of the Allahabad High Court, that concluded the hearing in the long pending case last month, is expected to formally announce its verdict on September 17.
Well before the D-Day, the state government wants to get into a red-alert mode so that it can handle any law and order situation that could arise on account of the judgement.
Chief minister Mayawati called on Governor B L Joshi on Monday to discuss this issue. "The chief minister apprised the Governor of the state's request for 400 companies of central paramilitary forces across the state", a top official said. This figure did not include the state police and PAC deployment that the state was planning.
He said, "after all we must have sufficient precautionary measures in place to prevent mischief-mongers from inciting trouble."
While heavy deployments are proposed in and around Ayodhya, the central forces would also be kept in readiness in all other communally sensitive cities and towns of the state.
Besides, the twin towns of Ayodhya-Faizabad, Varanasi, Mathura, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gonda, Bahraich, Allahabad, Aligarh, Moradabad and Meerut would also be heavily policed.
This follows a high-level meeting of administrative and police officials in Lucknow on Tuesday. Chaired by cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, the meeting was attended by principal home secretary Kunwar Fateh Bahadur, director general of police Karamveer Singh , additional DGP Brij Lal as well as the zonal IGs and DIGs of police.
While the High Court were to determine the key issues relating to right over the disputed property, the case relating to the demolition of the mosque was pending before a separate special CBI court in Lucknow.
Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow
