The Hindu : CCS asks Army to be on standby

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 01, 2002

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CCS asks Army to be on standby
By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, FEB. 28. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) which met here tonight to take stock of the situation in Gujarat in the wake of the attack on Sabarmati Express at Godhra and the subsequent incidents of violence elsewhere in the State decided to ask the Army to remain on standby. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, is rushing to Ahmedabad tomorrow to assess the situation.

Briefing presspersons after nearly an hour-long meeting of the CCS, presided over by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, said the decision to keep the Army on standby was taken even as 11 companies of the Central para-military forces were rushed to Gujarat.

``By this evening, the Central forces would be there to assist the local police in maintaining law and order in violence affected areas in Gujarat,'' Mr. Advani said.

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CCS asks Army to be on standby