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Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, Mayawati regime’s 2010 security measures coming in handy for Yogi govt
Although tension prevailed in the state at the time before the high court order, no untoward incident occurred nor any communal violence was reported from any corner of the state after the high court pronounced its verdict on the Ayodhya title suit on September 30, 2010.
The then Mayawati government’s security arrangements when the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court delivered its judgment on the Ayodhya title suit in September 2010 have come in handy for the Yogi Adityanath government that is gearing up to maintain law and order in Uttar Pradesh with days to go for the Supreme Court judgment in the same case, a senior police officer said.
Although tension prevailed in the state at the time before the high court order, no untoward incident occurred nor any communal violence was reported from any corner of the state after the high court pronounced its verdict on the Ayodhya title suit on September 30, 2010. The effort of the state police was lauded by the then UPA government that failed to provide 700 companies of the Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) demanded by the state police at the time.
Again, the same scenario has cropped up before the state police though the BJP, which was leading the temple movement, is in power both at the Centre and in the state. Police officers tasked with maintaining law and order are busy scanning documents of the security measures adopted in 2010 to repeat the feat.
“The security measures adopted in 2010 are being implemented again to maintain law and order post the Supreme Court verdict,” said a senior police officer who did not wish to be named.
The then additional director general (Law and Order) Brij Lal, who drafted the plan for maintaining law and order in 2010 and led the police force in making a foolproof strategy to check communal flare-up in highly sensitive areas of the state, has joined the BJP post retirement. He is the chairman of the UP Scheduled Caste Commission at present.
Lal confirmed that senior police officers contacted him for tips on the security plan adopted by him in 2010. “People’s participation and support of all communities is the mantra to maintain harmony,” he said.
Lal also said a three-dimensional security arrangement covering land, air and water was prepared in 2010 to meet any challenge. Security personnel were deployed in the sensitive areas of various districts and aerial surveillance was maintained through helicopters, he said.
Three helicopters were stationed at the Lucknow, Varanasi and Meerut air bases. Fitted with flash lights, these helicopters made round the clock sorties, flying low over residential areas to check if anti- social elements had stored weapons, inflammable items or bricks on the roof of their houses. Goose lamps were installed on the air strip in Faizabad and Meerut for night landing of aircraft and helicopters. The police force also moved on motorboats in areas on riverbanks, including Ayodhya that is located on the bank of the Saryu river, he said.
In 2010, the UP police used the community policing system for the first time to check the activities of anti-social elements. A communication dairy that included the names and cell phone numbers of prominent persons was maintained at all police stations and outposts.
This time too, the superintendents of police of all districts have been directed to hold a meeting of prominent people of both the communities and constitute peace committees to maintain law and order. Gram pradhans have been directed to alert the police officers in case they detect suspicious activities in their respective villages.
Along with the police, the BSP government had taken assistance of other government departments including basic education, health, PWD and Irrigation to neutralize the activities of hate mongers.
For her part, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati lauded the effort made by her government in 2010 to maintain law and order after the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ayodhya dispute.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, the BSP chief said, in view of the much awaited judgment of the Supreme Court on Ayodhya dispute there was tension and apprehension among the people. Calling upon the people to maintain harmony and honour the court verdict, Mayawati said it was the constitutional and legal responsibility of the BJP governments at Centre and in the state to ensure the security of the people and protect their property. The state government should also ensure that the daily life of the people was not disturbed after the Supreme Court order on the dispute, she said.
