Telangana committee this week: Chidambaram

The Centre on Monday said the Committee on Telangana will be announced this week and there will be no delay in the whole process related to the mechanism.

“We are in the earliest part of the week. I said last week that early this week (the Committee will be announced). Wait for the committee to be announced,” he told a press conference here.

“Committee and the mechanism are synonymous,” Mr. Chidambaram said when asked about the mechanism.

The Home Minister said the government was presently working on drafting the Terms and Reference of the Committee and would announce it. “Terms and reference can’t be kept secret. When we draft it, we will announce and circulate it,” he said.

Last week, Mr.Chidambaram had said the Committee to examine the demand for separate Telangana would be announced this week.

About the law and order situation in the Telangana region, he said there was no major incident of violence, though there were protests in different parts.

“In some places there were fasts, in some places there were local bandhs. But there is no major incident of violence,” he said adding, “Once again I appeal to the students not to take to the streets or commit suicide.”

Mr. Chidambaram said it was the responsibility of parents, teachers and peers to impress upon the students that such steps were completely unwarranted. “We will set up a mechanism that will consult all sections of opinion. Therefore, there is no need for anyone to take any extreme step. On January 5, we said we will set up a mechanism. We are sticking to that. There is no delay,” he said.