Maintaining peace after Ayodhya verdict was challenge: Madhya Pradesh CM

Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said here today that maintaining peace in the state after the Ayodhya verdict of September 30 was the biggest challenge for him in office.

"I am thankful to leaders of all political parties, religious heads and the media that this period passed off without a single incident in Madhya Pradesh," Chouhan told reporters here.

He said that during this time, the administration had worked fearlessly and without any sense of partiality towards anyone.

"Our goal was to maintain peace at all costs and we succeeded in this," the chief minister said.

Answering a question, he said that the dismissal of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh in 1992 following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 was never at the back of his mind while overseeing the security situation.