The Uttar Pradesh police have banned assembly of more than four people in Ayodhya (File)
All states and union territories have been asked to remain vigilant ahead of the upcoming Supreme Court judgment in the Ram Temple-Babri Mosque title suit case by the government. Issuing an advisory about posting adequate security at sensitive places, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked them to ensure "no untoward incident takes place anywhere" following the verdict.
"A general advisory has been sent to all states and union territories asking them to deploy adequate security personnel in all sensitive places and ensure that no untoward incident takes place anywhere in the country," a senior Home Ministry official told NDTV.
The dispute involves 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya, which right-wing activists believe was the birthplace of Lord Ram. A 16th Century mosque - said to have been built by the Mughal Emperor Babur -- which stood at the spot was razed in December 1992 by right-wing activists. In the days that followed, 2,000 people died in riots across the country.
After the failure of the mediation process in August, the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench conducted daily hearings. It is expected to deliver its verdict before November 17, when Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi retires.
The Uttar Pradesh police have banned assembly of more than four people in Ayodhya till the end of December in view of the upcoming verdict. They are also monitoring social media. State Police Chief OP Singh has said people instigating violence will be charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
12,000 police personnel have been deployed in the state to maintain law and order. The Ayodhya police have launched a mobile application by which they will monitor the ground situation with help from 16,000 volunteers.
The centre has sent 4,000 paramilitary soldiers to Uttar Pradesh as a precautionary measure, and more forces will be pushed in the coming days, sources say.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday met the leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's ideological mentor, and Muslim clerics, stressing that peace should be maintained under any circumstance.
Fourteen appeals have been filed in the top court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among the three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.