Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa has asked the Centre to put on hold the formation of the proposed National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
On Monday, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she asked him to put the NCTC on hold till he convened a meeting of all chief ministers to exclusively discuss the home ministry proposal.
The inclusion of NCTC in the CMs’ meeting scheduled for April 16, meant to discuss various aspects of internal security, was “surprising”, she wrote. Jayalalithaa’s objections come days after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to the PM, asking for a similar measure.
The NCTC, Banerjee had written to the PM on Saturday, was a “very sensitive issue” and should be the only subject on agenda at a meeting so all the states can express their views.
{{/usCountry}}The NCTC, Banerjee had written to the PM on Saturday, was a “very sensitive issue” and should be the only subject on agenda at a meeting so all the states can express their views.
{{/usCountry}}In fact, most CMs have expressed serious reservations regarding the proposed national counter-terror mechanism. Even Jayalalithaa, on earlier occasions, had severely criticised the NCTC proposal, maintaining it amounts to an encroachment into the states’ domain.
This time too, she reiterated that not addressing the states’ concerns would adversely affect the country’s federal structure.
“It is indeed unfortunate that without taking into consideration the views and sentiments of various chief ministers, the NCTC is sought to be steamrolled into existence,” she wrote. “I request that the formation of the NCTC may first be held in abeyance and a separate meeting of chief ministers convened only to discuss this matter.”