New Delhi: With Telangana statehood
committee expected to submit its report on Thursday, Prime
Minister Mamnohan Singh on Wednesday discussed with senior cabinet
colleagues the situation that may emerge in the polarised
Andhra Pradesh and the steps to deal with it.
The meeting deliberated on various scenarios expected
after the submission of the report by the five-member Justice
Srikrishna Committee which may or may not recommend carving
out of Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh, sources said.
The possibility of violence breaking out in either case
was also discussed at the meeting which was attended by
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K
Antony, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Law Minister M
Veerappa Moily besides senior government officials, they said.
After submission of the report, the government is
expected to come out with a statement, saying that while it is
committed to separate Telangana statehood, the "objections or
problems" needed to be resolved through consultations and
dialogue with people from all regions of Andhra Pradesh before
the process of state formation could be taken forward, they
said.
The statement is expected to appeal to all sections to
allow consultations and dialogue to take place in a friendly
and peaceful manner, the sources said.
The committee, which was constituted on February 3 and
went into the demand for Telangana state, is expected to
submit its report to Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday, a
day before its term expires.
It will suggest "several options with their pros and
cons" on the statehood issue.
The Committee was constituted by the Centre on
February 3 to look into the demands for the creation of a
separate state as well as keeping Andhra Pradesh united.
Chidambaram is understood to have briefed the meeting
about the steps being taken by the Home Ministry, including
sending 5,000 central paramilitary force personnel and keeping
some more in standby to be deployed in case of any emergency
situation.
The Central government is treading cautiously on the
issue considering its sensitive nature and thinks that any
action or statement may lead to tension and unnecessary
trouble and have to be careful, sources said.
Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika
Soni met Chidambaram and discussed the advisory issued by the
News Broadcasters Association (NBA) asking news channels to be
"sensitive" while covering the release of the Srikrishna
Committee report.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 29, 2010, 23:51