RD Pradhan Report on 26/11 to be made public soon: Home Min

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One year after the 26/11 attacks, is the Indian security establishment better equipped to ward off or deal with such terror, CNN-IBN's Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai spoke with Home Minister P Chidambaram on the one-year anniversary of 26/11.

Below is an excerpt of the interview. Also watch the accompanying video.

Rajdeep Sardesai: The first big question is--have we learnt our lessons from 26/11? When I say 'we' I mean both the political establishment and civil society.

P Chidambaram: I think some of us have learnt many lessons and many of us have learnt some lessons. But I believe that sooner or later we all will learn all the lessons that have to be learnt.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Today in many of your speeches you were admitting that the equipments that our police force have today is still not good enough. Will you admit this on this show?

P Chidambaram: No, I don't agree. It is better than what we had a year ago. It will be better six months from today and even better 12 months from today. Rome was not built in a day. I had to deal with cumulative neglect and we are dealing with it. States are dealing with it.

Rajdeep Sardesai: The part of the problem is this battle that the states are dealing with it. You as a Home Minister receive a lot of praise for finally being a tough minister but you have to deal with state home ministers and governments. But not everyone is convinced, for example, the Maharashtra government is as committed as you are. Is this the way we will win our battle against terror?

P Chidambaram: That is not a problem. That is a fact that we need to take into account that are we a unitary state or a federal state. We are a federal state and in a federal state there are certain powers with the Centre, certain with the state government. I think we have found a way in which the state and the Centre can work together, at least, in matters of internal security. The Maharashtra government has done quite a bit though we were interrupted by the elections in between and believe me in three-six months from today they will be better.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Shouldn't the RD Pradhan Report on 26/11 be made public?

P Chidambaram: It should be and it will be. I have seen the RD Pradhan Committee report and it has no startling conclusion. It is simply a report on the way the police worked on that day, the practical problem the police faced and many of the issues have been addressed. I am quite confident that the RD Pradhan report will be soon made public.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Why doesn't the Government have the courage to 'isolate' Pakistan and cut off relations---bilateral, cultural, economic and diplomatic?

P Chidambaram: War is not the option in the twenty-first century. India and Pakistan cannot go to war on every issue. Two countries who will be neighbours forever shouldn't think of getting into a war.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You have been tough with dossiers by giving evidences to Pakistan but at the end of the day Pakistan hasn't arrested Hafiz Saeed. Are you disappointed with what Pakistan has done or were you cynical enough to believe that they would never do much?

P Chidambaram: I am not satisfied with what Pakistan has done or has been doing.

Rajdeep Sardesai: What is your answer to those who think that Kasab's trial has taken much too long? One year after the trial continues Kasab can now go to the High Courts, Supreme Court and then he will file a mercy petition with the Union Home Ministry which will lie in the list of mercy petitions. It could take years before any action is taken against him?

P Chidambaram: I am proud of the fact that we are a country where there is a rule of law and we don't try Kasab in a kangaroo court and hang him overnight as they do in some other countries. A murder trial will take time and in Kasab's case believe me it has been fast tracked as all the prosecution witnesses I believe have been examined. That is a remarkable achievement and I compliment that. I think Kasab's trial shows India into great light that it is a country, which, regardless of the great pain it suffers, puts a terrorist into an open fair trial.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Citizens are still disconnected from the police, from the entire security apparatus. They are still fearful of going to the police station. Will this change?

P Chidambaram: A citizen must not be fearful to go to the police. He must learn to respect the police and the police must learn to deal with the citizens. The citizens are the masters. Attitudinal changes are required from both the sides. We need to remember that the policemen come from the same stock from where you and I come. But we must also raise the quality of our police forces.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Our constables fight AK47s with lathis, yet we spent Rs 31 crore on Kasab's trial. What is your take on this?

P Chidambaram: It is a completely misplaced criticism. I can't confirm that Rs 31 crore was spent on Kasab's trial. But that is not the point. Kasab was the sole terrorist whom we arrested as of the 10 terrorists nine were killed that day. He is a very important catch. He is the main lead which made Pakistan admit that the terrorists and masterminds were Pakistanis and forced Pakistan to start the trial. If Kasab was also killed Pakistan will be in a state of complete denial. So, Kasab has to be protected and tried.