Relieved govt, police to remain on high alert

Yogesh Naik & Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The state government and the police heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday as the city survived the Ayodhya judgment without any incidents of violence or protests.

“More than 4,000 people were arrested as a preventive measure and additional forces were deployed across Mumbai,” said deputy commissioner of police (operations) Rajkumar Vhatkar, adding that there was no violence in the city. “The same security level will be continued for the next three days.”

About 38,000 police personnel were deployed on city streets for the Thursday bandobast. Officials said the state and the police would continue to remain on maximum alert on Friday. Mumbai police commissioner Sanjeev Dayal said that joint commissioner of police (law and order) Rajnish Seth met RSS functionaries on Wednesday and asked them to maintain peace.

Nevertheless, there was a stray incident of celebration in the saffron camp. Soon after the verdict was announced, a few party workers began shouting slogans, dancing and distributing sweets outside the state BJP office in Nariman Point, forcing chief minister Ashok Chavan, deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal and home minister R R Patil to intervene.

Sensing trouble brewing, police officials reported the festivities to the CM’s office and, according to Chavan, he, along with Bhujbal and Patil, spoke to state BJP chief Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Addressing journalists in a press conference in Mumbai, Chavan said that the judgment was a step forward and everyone should help maintain law and order.

Soon after the verdict, Chavan had a meeting with home department officials, where they discussed strategies to contain any untoward fallout of the verdict.

Officials said the police have been told to keep an eye on Shiv Sena and the BJP and ensure that their party members do not burst firecrackers or celebrate the verdict.

The chief minister asked citizens to honour the verdict and ensure that the spirit of nationalism always precedes caste or religious considerations. Chavan’s deputy Bhujbal said that the victory should not been as a win or loss by any community. He asked all citizens to exercise restraint and not create law and order problems.

The Times of India, October 1, 2010