Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has sought 35,000 paramilitary personnel for security duty from the Centre as the state prepares to deal with any fallout of the much-awaited verdict in the volatile 125-year-old Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid legal dispute.
A three-judge special bench of the Allahabad High Court, which concluded its hearing in the long pending case last month, will announce its verdict on September 17.
Before the high court are three fundamental questions: Is the disputed spot in Ayodhya the birthplace of Lord Ram? Was the Babri mosque built after the demolition of a temple? Was the mosque in question built in accordance with the tenets of Islam?
The dispute led to the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid by radical Hindu activists in December 1992, triggering widespread communal violence that has polarised politics between those for and against the mosque at the site and left a legacy of distrust between the country's majority Hindus and Muslims, the country's largest minority.
Fearing that the verdict could prompt further trouble, Chief Minister Mayawati met Governor B.L. Joshi on Monday evening to discuss the issue.
"The CM apprised the governor of the request that the state had moved the Union Home Ministry for 400 companies of central paramilitary forces across the entire state," a top state official said. This was apart from the state police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) deployment.
"We cannot take any chances. We must have sufficient precautionary measures in place to prevent mischief-mongers from inciting trouble," the official added.
While there will be heavy deployment of security personnel in and around the twin towns of Ayodhya and Faizabad, central forces would also be kept ready in all other communally sensitive cities and towns of the state.
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