The Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, today asserted in the Lok Sabha that the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was an “absolute necessity” and not an attack on the federal structure and maintained that even states opposed to some provisions of the body support its formation.
Members expressed concern during Question Hour over the formation of NCTC in its present form and how it seeks to take away powers of the states thereby attacking the federal structure.
Allaying these fears, Mr Chidambaram said the issue can be debated (in Parliament and outside) and NCTC would come into force after looking into the suggestions of the states.
“I believe the NCTC is an absolute necessity. A number of states have supported its formation.... I do not believe it violates the federal structure,” he said, adding that even states that have expressed concerns support the formation of NCTC with some changes.
The Home Minister said a meeting of Chief Secretaries and DGPs of states was held yesterday to discuss the NCTC issue and a meeting of Chief Ministers — which was postponed earlier due to Assembly elections — will be held on April 16.
Mr Chidambaram denied reports in a newspaper that the Union Home Secretary had asked the Chief Secretaries and DGPs at yesterday’s meeting not to act like stenographers of their state governments. Leader of the Opposition, Ms Sushma Swaraj, had raised this issue in the House.