New Delhi: The 5-member Justice Srikrishna
Committee Thursday submitted its report on the separate Telangana
state demand to Home Minister P Chidambaram, who said
government will consult all political parties before taking an
"appropriate" decision on the issue.
The two-volume report, prepared by the Committee after
extensive discussions with political parties and other
organisations in the state over the past 11 months, was
submitted a day before the Committee`s term was to expire.
Soon after the submission of the report, Chidambaram
told reporters that he proposed to convene a meeting of 8
recognised political parties of Andhra Pradesh on January 6.
"Immediately after the meeting, the report will be made
public," he said on the report which the Committee had said
will contain "several suggestions with pros and cons" on the
Telangana demand.
The highest satisfaction of the largest number will be
its aim, Justice Srikrishna had said on Tuesday about the
report.
Chidambaram said the government will consider the report
carefully and begin the process of consultations with all
political parties before taking appropriate decisions on the
report.
"That is the only way in a democracy and those who
respect democracy must also respect the process of democracy,"
he said.
"The report is in two volumes. The report will be
carefully studied in the Ministry of Home Affairs and will be
shared with the ministries or departments concerned of the
government.
The government has great faith in the wisdom, maturity
and tolerance of the people of Andhra Pradesh, he said.
The Home Minister said all political parties and groups
have given an assurance that they will maintain peace, harmony and law and order. "We welcome and believe these
assurances".
He said that he has noted that there was some concern
about the deployment of security forces.
"Let me assure the people of Andhra Pradesh that the
deployment of security forces is a purely precautionary
measure. They will remain in the force headquarters or police
stations as a reserve force."
Recalling the January 5 meeting of eight recognised
political parties from the state, Chidambaram said the
government and the parties made a joint appeal to the people
of Andhra Pradesh to maintain peace, harmony and law and
order.
"On behalf of the Government, I reiterate that appeal
today. We are glad that 2010 was a peaceful year in Andhra
Pradesh and it is our fervent desire that peace will be
maintained in the future too," he said.
Chidambaram said the government has great faith in the
"wisdom, maturity and tolerance" of the people of Andhra
Pradesh.
"All political parties and groups have assured us that
they will maintain peace, harmony and law and order. We
welcome and believe these assurances," the Home Minister said.
On deployment of forces, he said as long as the people
and political parties and groups take upon themselves the
responsibility of maintaining law and order "we do not foresee
the need to actually deploy security forces."
"I reiterate that we have faith in the wisdom of the
people of Andhra Pradesh and we are confident that the present
atmosphere of peace and harmony will continue to prevail," he
said.
The Home Minister also appealed to the media to extend
the same "splendid cooperation" that it gave to the Srikrishna
Committee.
"After the report is made public on January 6, 2011,
the media should communicate the contents of the report to
viewers and readers in a fair, impartial and balanced way and
promote sober and mature debate," he said.
Such debate will help the Government to take
appropriate decisions on the report.
PTI
