Ayodhya judgment: Madhya Pradesh govt maintains a tight vigil

In view of what happened after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh wants to ensure that nothing untoward happens after the judgement on the Ayodhya case is delivered on September 24.

Following the riots which took place after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the then BJP government in Madhya Pradesh was dismissed along with same party governments in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh in 1992.

In what appears to be a case of "once bitten twice shy", the BJP government does not want anything to happen that could mar its image in the eyes of the people.

"I don't think that communal situation like 1992 will occur in Madhya Pradesh post Ayodhya verdict, but we are not taking any chances and police is maintaining a tight vigil in the state," Madhya Pradesh home minister, Uma Shankar Gupta said today.

"We have directed officials to deploy entire police force in the field including those who were not doing field duties at present and also called the 100 per cent Home Guard jawans in the state for maintaining communal harmony at any cost," Gupta said.

Though there are remote chances of any communal disturbance, anybody found indulging in such activities will be firmly dealt with, the Minister said when asked whether there is any fear of repeat of 1992 situation.

"We have requested for the deployment of over 50 companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Special Armed Force (SAF) in the state for maintaining law and order," Gupta said.

Search operation and arrest of history-sheeters and anti-social elements are already going on for ensuring peace in the state, the Minister said.

"We are also in constant touch with the public leaders, people's representatives and other important persons of the society to maintaining peace in the state," Gupta said.

The government has already taken the meeting of senior officials including zonal IGs, SSPs, Commissioners and Collectors through video-conferencing on Ayodhya judgement and its possible fallouts, official sources said.

All concerned officials were directed to give top priority to maintain law and order, communal harmony in their respective areas, they said.

The concerned officials in those areas where communal tension occurred recently were asked to maintain tight vigil in sensitive areas.

Citing the example of Ratlam, where recently curfew was imposed in two police station areas following incident of cow dung allegedly thrown at a religious place, official sources said that "such incidents may have links to the forthcoming judgement and might have done with an intention to divide people on communal lines. Therefore police was directed not to take any chance on the issue of maintaining communal harmony."

Similar incidents, though not exactly like Ratlam were also reported from Chhindwara, Sagar, Ujjain and Dewas areas and at all these places, police has been asked to remain more cautious, the sources said adding extra vigil will also be kept in the Malwa area of the state.

Recently, the state's director general of police (DGP) SK Rout, while reviewing the law and order situation at Indore, said that "one of the two communities might react to the verdict on Ayodhya so there is a need to closely monitor the developments taking place in their areas."

The police officials have been instructed to show zero tolerance towards the elements attempting to disturb the communal harmony post verdict, the sources added.