2.5 lakh cops on alert,peace rallies begin before verdict

Patil appealed to people and political parties to maintain peace. “Our state faced maximum human and financial losses during the 1992-93 riots. Let it not be repeated. It is a judicial process. It being a High Court verdict,any of the litigants can approach the Supreme Court,” Patil said. Chief Secretary J P Dange said the forces deployed will include 25,000 home guards and eight battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force. CRPF battalions have been deployed in highly sensitive areas and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in sensitive areas. Police have been asked to take measures like peace rallies and flag marches in sensitive areas. Dr Azimuddin,president of the Movement for Human Welfare,said the message has been sent that no one “will react or celebrate”.

Door-to-door peace campaigns began a month earlier and Muslim leaders are spreading peace messages from mosques. “We have information from the police of certain elements who will try to provoke the youth. We are telling the youth to report such incidents to elders who will inform the police,” said Dr Azimuddin. Jamiat-e-Ulema-Hind president Maulana Mustaqim Azmi said he has approached many households and plans to monitor community pools in key areas. In sensitive areas like Rabodi in Thane,Satar Sheikh of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board says “the real test of being secular will be how one takes the judgment. We have told the people to ignore rumours and act responsible.”

The commissionerates of Mumbai,Thane and New Mumbai have issued preventive orders till October 3. A police circular cites “specific information” of a possible situation and asks the public to “refrain” from showing any emotions on a public platform. The preventive order warns of arrest of people seen posting banners,displaying any communally sensitive write-ups or distributing brochures invoking reactions. Local Shiv Sena leaders said they are on alert for any flare-up but it is a bit premature to plan what is to be done. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “We are waiting and watching. We have not given any instructions yet.”