NCTC: Centre to defend its stance

Even as the opposition and allies have upped their ante against the Centre over the National Counter-Terrorism Ccentre (NCTC), the UPA is planning to defend its move citing existing provisions in the law. The UPA managers are also against adopting an aggressive stance on this issue but will try to convince the state governments and political opponents through talks.

Even as the opposition and allies have upped their ante against the Centre over the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the UPA is planning to defend its move citing existing provisions in the law. The UPA managers are also against adopting an aggressive stance on this issue but will try to convince the state governments and political opponents through talks.

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Home minister P Chidambaram is learnt to have spoken to some government managers, including a senior minister, considered a legal brain on Monday. A senior minister told HT that the Centre will argue that a provision in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act allows central agencies to directly arrest suspects.

The government is likely to emphasise that this provision — that was never been used — had been incorporated in 2008, explicitly empowering a designated agency of the Centre or states to arrest suspected terrorists.