Peace to be maintained at all costs: CM

Chandigarh, May 14 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said here today that the government will preserve peace, communal harmony and law and order in the state at all costs.

''No one will be allowed to disturb the hard earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony. The government will deal firmly with anyone trying to take law into his own hands,'' said Mr.

Badal in a statement here today.

Mr Badal, who has called a meeting of the top civil and police officials here this evening, also exhorted people to remain fully vigilant against attempts to inflame communal and religious sentiments and to help government in foiling such designs.

The Chief Minister made an impassioned appeal to all Punjabis to rise above communal or ideological differences and preserve and safeguard communal harmony in the state.

''On its part, the government will deal with a firm hand with anyone trying to throw Punjab back into the jaws of a tragic and fratricidal bloodshed, he said adding that Punjab had already paid a heavy price for years of mindless violence and the state government was fully alive to the danger posed by some politically rejected and desperate elements to stoke communal fires in order to make political capital out of it, he said.

''But we will not allow their designs to succeed at any cost,'' the Chief Minister asserted.

UNI