New Delhi, September 29: Amid apprehensions of breach of peace following the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Ayodhya case, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday appealed to people for respecting the judgment and maintaining composure.
“I have made an appeal to people of India on Sept 22 to maintain peace and harmony. I think, in my views, the delay of six days in pronouncement of verdict has provided a unique opportunity to various political parties, and the key contenders to the dispute to reiterate their commitment to abide by the court’s verdict,.” Chidambaram said.
Dispelling concerns about any untoward incident in he aftermath of the judgement, Chidambaram said, “The Central government has deployed adequate security forces in the country in view of the Ayodhya verdict tomorrow to maintain law and order.”
“We are confident that with the measures that we have taken, we will be able to maintain law and order,” said the Home Minister while addressing a press conference in the national capital.
Asking people to look forward, Chidambaram said, “An overwhelming majority of people have categorically stated that they will respect and abide by the Court judgement which is a significant advance over positions taken in 1990s.”
When quizzed by reporters about security concerns in the BJP-ruled states, the Home Minister said, “When the BJP’s official line is to respect the Allahabad High Court’s judgement on Ayodhya dispute, I hope that its governments in various states would take steps to ensure law and order”
The Home Minister also assured that adequate security forces have been provided to the Uttar Pradesh government for maintaining the rule of law.
When quizzed about the possibility of any unprecedented incident after the judgment, Chidamabaram said, “With the security measures put in place by the Central and state governments, I don’t foresee any problem in the wake of judgment.”
Chidambaram’s statement comes hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi made an appeal to people to maintain equanimity and tranquillity in the aftermath of the judgement.
“There should be no attempt whatsoever made by any section of people to provoke any other section or to indulge in any expression of emotion that would hurt the feelings of other people,” he said in an appeal published in almost all leading newspapers.
Observing that the judgement, an outcome of a long judicial process, needed to be treated with the utmost respect, the Prime Minister said, “We must remember the fact that the judgement, at this stage, is one step in the judicial process.”
“It is important for all to ensure that the highest traditions of Indian culture and respect for all religions are fully maintained… Nothing must be said or done and nothing must happen that may cause us to deviate from our goals and our objectives,” he said appealing to the people to maintain equanimity and tranquility in the aftermath of the judgement.
In her appeal, Sonia asked people to “accept whatever” the verdict is in the Ayodhya title suit case and maintain peace, goodwill and brotherhood at all costs.
—-Agencies