'First address normalcy in Muzaffarnagar, then talk of accountability': Khurshid

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday said that it was important to first address the issue of people's safety and confidence among communities in Muzaffarnagar, and then deal with those accountable for the violence that claimed the lives of 40 people.

"It is important that we first address the break down of faith and confidence among communities in Western Uttar Pradesh, and then, later on talk about accountability and who is involved. We have a job to repair the traumatized fabric of society in Western UP," he told media here today.

He also asserted that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his government must take the responsibility of brining normalcy in the riot-hit areas of the district.

"Chief Minister and the Government of Uttar Pradesh must take the responsibility to ensure that we quickly set things at normal, get people back to normal and then the process of accountability, through the commission of enquiry that has been appointed, must come out quickly with who is responsible," he said.

"And as Akhilesh Yadav has said, irrespective of their political background, they will be dealt with in the severest manner if found guilty," he added.

Meanwhile, Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate (DM) Kaushal Raj Sharma said that the situation in the area has remained peaceful and there no further incidents have been reported.

"The situation has remained peaceful. Constant patrolling has been carried out to ensure safety of people. People living in the camps are starting to go back. Atleast 2000 people have returned home in the past two days," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Muzaffarnagar violence.

The commission, which would mainly look into administrative lapses, if any, in controlling the violence, would submit its report to the government within two months.

Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar earlier this month when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.