More security to judges ahead of Ayodhya verdict

LUCKNOW - The Uttar Pradesh state government has provided additional security for the three judges of the Allahabad High Court dealing with the much-debated Ayodhya case.

This follows a formal request by one of the three judges to Chief Minister Mayawati, seeking foolproof security cover for himself in view of the much-awaited verdict in the 125-year-old Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid legal dispute in Ayodhya on Sep 24.

With a view to ensuring better protection, the judge has also sought the government’s permission to stay on in the official bungalow for at least one year after his superannuation next month.

The state government has provided security cover to all the three judges.

A three-judge special bench of Justice S.U. Khan, Justice D.V. Sharma and Justice Sudhir Agarwal concluded the hearing in the long pending case in July and reserved the verdict.

Rival claims by Hindu and Muslim groups to the disputed site led to the demolition of the 16th century Babri Masjid by Hindu mobs Dec 6, 1992, triggering widespread communal violence that left thousands dead across the country.

The issue 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 a repeat of communal violence, Uttar Pradesh has already sought from the central government 35,000 paramilitary personnel for security duty as the state prepares to deal with any fallout of the much-awaited verdict.

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, the country’s most populous.