Hyderabad, December 30: The Andhra Pradesh government today sought to allay apprehensions over the deployment of para-military forces in the state saying they were intended only to maintain law and order and not to suppress possible protests in the aftermath of submission of report by Justice Srikrishna Committee on the statehood issue.
“People need not have any apprehensions or misgivings over the deployment of Central para-military forces. They are only for maintenance of law and order across the state and not to suppress any agitations or protests,” Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy told newsmen at the end of a high-level review meeting on law and order, chaired by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy this evening.
She said the Central forces were being deployed in all the three regions of the state and not in any particular region, though there would be higher deployment in ‘trouble-prone areas’.
The Home Minister’s statement assumes significance as Congress MPs from Telangana, as well as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, have demanded immediate withdrawal of the Central security forces as they were causing apprehensions among the people.
The Telangana Congress MPs met the Chief Minister earlier in the day and demanded withdrawal of Central forces forthwith.
The Minister said the state had requested the Centre for deployment of para-military forces as the local police might not be able to handle difficult situation on its own.
“The state police is also required to keep a watch on terrorist and Maoists’ activities. Hence we requested for Central forces to support our police force,” Sabita pointed out.
She said the Chief Minister reviewed the steps being taken to maintain peace after the submission of the Srikrishna Committee report.
“The Chief Minister has reviewed all the incidents related to the statehood issue over the last one year and the steps being taken to maintain law and order effectively this time. We appeal to the people to maintain peace irrespective of the outcome of the Srikrishna Committee report,” Sabita said.
–PTI