Blame Centre if there's any violence in UP: Maya

While lambasting the Union government for not paying heed to the state's requirement of Central para-military forces, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said in Lucknow late on Wednesday evening that the Centre alone would be responsible for any violence that might spark off as a fallout to the much-awaited verdict in the long pending Ayodhya case on Thursday afternoon.

Declaring at a press conference, state cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said, "the chief minister reiterates her displeasure at the Union government's indifference towards Uttar Pradesh, whose repeated demand for 640 companies of Paramilitary forces was completely ignored.''

He said, "As against our serious requirement, the Centre has provided us just 52 companies, which speaks volumes of their real concern for the people of Uttar Pradesh."

He sought to point out, "Our requirement for the desired central forces was based on what the same Central government had provided us during the last general elections, when they sent as many as 700 companies; sure enough the denial today was on account of considerations other than merit."

According to him, Mayawati had taken strong exception to a statement issued by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi on Wednesday evening about availability of nearly 200,000 policemen in Uttar Pradesh.

"The chief minister felt that Chidambaram's statement was apparently meant to convey the impression that 200,000 strong force was provided by the Centre, when the fact remains that this was our own state police as the Centre had not cared to fulfill our requirements," Singh sought to point out.

Asked what had prompted the chief minister to issue a statement at such a late hour, Singh said, "Well, it was the Centre's attempt to create a false impression that demanded immediate clarification."

He, however maintained, "Despite the odds, we are still ready to meet any contingency arising on account of Thursday's verdict.''