The Centre has asked all States, particularly sensitive ones such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, to accord top priority to tightening security measures to deal with any law and order problem that may arise after the Allahabad High Court judgment on Ayodhya title suit on Friday.
The Home Ministry has identified 32 sensitive locations across the country — four of them in Uttar Pradesh — which have a potential to “evoke sharp reactions” following the verdict and asked the States concerned to be on full alert at such locations.
Against the demand of 63,000 paramilitary personnel to deal with any situation arising out of the verdict, the Centre will provide 5,200 armed guards, including Rapid Action Force personnel, to Uttar Pradesh.
The Centre is also keeping ready paramilitary forces at strategic locations, close to airports, for immediate deployment in the places of trouble.
The Ministry has already prepared a contingency plan to deal with any situation arising out of the judgment.
In an advisory, the Ministry has asked all the States and Union Territories to give “topmost priority” to maintaining law and order after the court pronounces the verdict.
It also informed the States and the Union Territories of the activities of various religious groups which have already announced countrywide mass mobilisation and awareness campaign.
States have been asked to keep a close watch on the activities of religious bodies of both the communities in the run-up to the judgment. It has also drawn up plans to keep reinforcements of paramilitary forces, including the CRPF and the RAF, ready as and when needed by the States for deployment in sensitive areas.