Relief in Uttar Pradesh as day passes off peacefully

As people began the day awaiting the judgement with bated breath, the official machinery, especially the security forces, remained alert even as the verdict, delivered earlier during the day, was welcomed by both the Hindu and Muslim communities.

While Ayodhya resembled a city under seige earlier during the day, the scene was no different elsewhere in the state with police and central forces keeping an eye over the security situation and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally monitoring it from a hi-tech control room in the state capital.

“There is no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state. We are keeping a close watch (on the law and order situation). Our team is on the job,” UP Director General of Police O P Singh said.

He said an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been set up here for the first time to keep an eye on reports emerging from the media, social media and other sources, both before and after the pronouncement of the verdict in the case. 

The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, one of the main litigants in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid case, welcomed the Supreme Court verdict, saying it has no plans to challenge it.

 “We welcome the Supreme Court verdict in the case. The Board has no plans to challenge it,” Board chairman Zafar Ahmad Farooqui of Farooqui said.

“As of now, the verdict is being studied thoroughly after which the Board will issue a detailed statement,” he said.

In his initial reaction soon after the judgement, the Board’s counsel Zafaryab Jilani had said in Delhi, “The Ayodhya verdict has a lot of contradictions. We will seek a review as we are not satisfied with the verdict.”