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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Ayodhya case verdict today, nation on high alert

With the central and state governments having taken adequate security measures ahead of the verdict on the title suits in the Babri Masjid-Ram-janmabhoomi case in Lucknow on Thursday, Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed confidence there would be no trouble after the judgment. Chidambaram said he did not “foresee any problems” as almost all political parties, religious groups and those associated with the dispute, have said they would respect the verdict of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.

"The India story is a much bigger story and young people recognise the bigger story should not be derailed over the dispute over a piece of land,” he said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Notwithstanding the confidence that there would not be any problems after the judgment, Chidambaram said the government had taken the necessary measures and deployed adequate security forces all over the country.

Regarding the Uttar Pradesh government’s demand for more central forces, Chidambaram said he had convinced the state that the 1,90,000 police personnel at its disposal would be enough.

For other parts of the country, government officials said the Centre had placed paramilitary forces at 16 locations — half of them near Indian Air Force stations — to enable quick movement of forces if an emergency breaks out.

Chidambaram said the ban on bulk messaging would continue till further orders. It was imposed recently after reports of some elements spreading mischievous messages pertaining to the Ayodhya dispute.

Chidambaram said as a lawyer, he expected one or more parties would appeal to the Supreme Court on aspects of the judgment they did not find in their favour.

Among the security measures taken by state governments, Karnataka has ordered all educational institutions in the state to be closed on Thursday and Friday. The state government has also place d a ban on any kind of celebration of the Ayodhya verdict.

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