Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

SHRI SHIVRAJ V. PATIL
UNION HOME MINISTER
Respected Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji, Respected Chairperson, UPA,
Mrs. Soniaji Gandhi, Hon'ble Union Ministers and Ministers of State, Hon'ble
Governor, J & K, Hon'ble Chief Ministers, Hon'ble Members of Legislatures, Hon'ble
Leaders of different political parties, Hon'ble jurists, journalists,
academicians, social workers, leaders in different walks of life, Officers and
Friends
1. I have great pleasure and privilege in welcoming all the distinguished
members of the NIC, the Prime Minister, Chairperson of UPA, Leaders of
political parties and the leaders in different walks of life.
2. I would like to thank them very sincerely for making it convenient to
participate in this meeting.
3. This is the 14th meeting of the NIC. It is convened to discuss the topics
mentioned in the agenda circulated to the members. Topics in the agenda
are selected by a committee consisting of a few erudite members of the
council. Two topics are included in the agenda to provide opportunities to
the members to express their views on the current communal and extremist
situations in some parts of our country.
4. The topics in the agenda can be and are discussed in the Union and State
Legislatures. But, it was thought that subjects relating to national integration
should be considered by those experienced and erudite citizens also, who are
not in the Legislatures, in order to arrive at unbiased and impartial conclusions
and to suggest ways and means which can be adopted to achieve the
objectives of preventing communal disturbances and violence, threat to the
unity of the country and to protect, preserve and strengthen the communal
harmony and national integration, and to bring the culprits to books, and to
protect and preserve the interests of the innocent citizens. National integration
is too important a subject to be left exclusively in the jurisdication and
hands of the government, without consulting the people at large, without
obtaining their views and suggestions and cooperation and without
consulting the wise, erudite and the experienced persons in the society.
5. It is true that the main responsibility to protect and preserve the national
integration and communal harmony and avoid communal disturbances and
threat to the unity of the nation lies on the shoulders of the government and
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