Chidambaram takes stock of impact on security of Ayodhya Verdict

NEW DELHI - Union Home Minister P Chidambaram took stock of the security situation in the country on Tuesday and directed all concerned to ensure peace after the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya-Ramjanambhoomi title issue.

He also visited his Ministry’s Control Room and Integrated Operations Centre and reviewed its functioning.

It has been reported that top Home Ministry officials and chief of Intelligence agencies attended the meeting.

There are reports that the Home Ministry has identified 32 sensitive locations across the country-four of them in Uttar Pradesh-where there is a potential to ‘evoke sharp reactions’ following the verdict and asked states to be fully alert.

The Centre is keeping ready paramilitary forces at some strategic locations, closer to airports, for immediate deployment in the places of trouble anywhere in the country.

The Home Ministry has already prepared a contingency plan to deal with any situation arising out of the Allahabad High Court judgement.

Earlier today, the apex court gave its nod to the court’s Lucknow Bench to go ahead with its announcement of the judgment in the case, as it rejected an appeal that sought to defer the Allahabad Court’s verdict on Ayodhya-Ramjanambhoomi title issue.

“Having considered in detail the arguments of the parties, we are of the view that the special leave petition (SLP) has to be dismissed. Accordingly, the SLP stands dismissed,” said the apex court’s three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia in a brief order.

The court’s order came after two hours of arguments on a plea for the deferment of the judgement by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court filed by a retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi seeking time for working out an out-of-court settlement.

The Lucknow Bench will announce its verdict on the Ramjanabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case on Thursday at 3.30 p.m. (ANI)