Sticking to its charge against former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, the Centre has told the Liberhan Commission that the state had refused to go along with its decision favouring deployment of paramilitary forces and chalking out a security plan for protection of the disputed structure in Ayodhya.

"The Centre-state relations turned hostile when the then Union home minister, through his letter dated November 24, 1992, conveyed the decision of central government to deploy central paramilitary forces to tackle the situation arising out of the proposed kar seva," the Union government's counsel, Lala Ram Gupta and Bhupender Yadav, told the panel.

"The chief minister, in his letter dated November 25, 1992, addressed to the home minister and letter dated November 26, 1992, to the prime minister, conveyed his protest against the unilateral deployment of the central paramilitary forces.

"Later on through a letter dated December 1, 1992, the chief minister informed the home minister about the alleged misbehaviour of the members of the central paramilitary forces and the unconstitutional unilateral deployment of the forces," the counsel said.

The counsel informed the commission that some differences had arisen when Union government wanted the state to prepare a security plan for the structure.

"The state government felt that the existing security arrangements were adequate and could meet any threat to the disputed structure. It reiterated that the maintenance of law and order was a state subject and felt that the existing security plan was adequate and required no further changes," the Centre said.

However, the state government maintained that the suggestions given by the Centre were generally taken up very seriously and necessary action was taken.

"The central government had continuously monitored the security arrangement in the Ram Janam bhoomi-Babri Masjid complex. The state government on its part accepted most of its suggestions and at times also clarified its own position on the same," the Centre claimed.

The Centre said it was thought that the karsevaks would comply with the directions given by the leaders. "The state administration did not have any input from anyone that the karsevaks will be hostile, get frenzied or go out of control of the leaders of the movement.

"The security arrangements were made on the assumption that the karsevaks would be peaceful. However, they could not understand or comprehend correctly that in case one or two lakh people constituting the karsevaks were to get frenzied, it would be impossible to save the disputed structure, despite all the security arrangements made at the complex," the counsel submitted.

Press Trust of India