Bowing to pressure from its constituent, the Trinamool Congress, the UPA government on Tuesday agreed to hold a separate meeting of all Chief Ministers here on May 5 to discuss exclusively the issue of setting up the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
Even as charges fly thick and fast that his government was ignoring consultations with the States and undermining the principles of federalism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh instructed Home Minister P. Chidambaram to write to all Chief Ministers, informing them of the May 5 meeting.
Briefing journalists here, Mr. Chidambaram said three Chief Ministers had requested the Prime Minister for a separate meeting to discuss NCTC.
Several Chief Ministers including Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal and Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu have reiterated their demand for a separate meeting. The two are among the non-Congress Chief Ministers who have written to the Prime Minister criticising the Centre's move, on the ground that NCTC would violate the principles of federalism and encroach on their turf.
Others opposed to the NCTC proposal include Nitish Kumar (Bihar), Naveen Patnaik (Odisha), Narendra Modi (Gujarat) and Manik Sarkar (Tripura).
During the press conference of the Group of Ministers on Media, Mr. Chidambaram said the conference of Chief Ministers on internal security would be held as scheduled on April 16. The agenda has already been sent to all of them.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Law Minister Salman Khurshid were present.
Keywords: NCTC, anti-NCTC CMs, CM meet, Centre-State relations
What is it that the CM's who do not want the NCTC are trying to hide? What is in national interest should be accepted without much fuss. Those who have a some other interest which they deem to be a higher interest than the National interest must be taken to task. If CM's are a hurdle to fight terrorism, what terrorists are they protecting?
This will be good move,and after this meeting formation of NCTC will be on track.This matter is serious and there should be quick decision on this issue.
Being pretty aware of the strong opposition to the very proposal of
creating NCTC,'the baby of the MoH',the PM must feel the pulse of the
CMs opposing the NCTC so vehemently ! The GoI seems to be over-
stepping into the home affairs arena of the states ,eventually :
unacceptable to the states controlled by the non Congress Govts The PM
is ,therefore,requested to have second thoughts on this tricky issue .
First listen to the affected CMs patiently in a separate meeting &
then have second thoughts dispassionately about the likely fall out of
the issue ;since the UPA2 is not having the likely numbers to escape
any defeat in both the houses on this issue!.
Division of opinion on party lines once again on another matter of national importance reiterates the fact that even after 60 years of Constitutional democracy our democratic institutions & traditions have still not passed infancy. Moreover, Centre's hide and seek on important questions pertaining to federalism indicates some hidden agenda....
It is well and good if the proposed CM's meet being convened by the Home Minister P.Chidambaram is gives any fruitful decisions in respect of NCTC and is implemented,so that the terrorism in our Country is defeated.But seeing the attitude of some of our Chief Ministers there is every possibility that they will skip the meet and again blame the Home Minister and finally the Prime Minister after the rule is passed on the NCTC.
I don't understand why PMO is not replying to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
to her letters and only replying to the close alliance. Even though Ms
Jeyalalitha is not in their alliance she is the Chief minister of Tamil
Nadu and she certainly deserves a straight reply. Nothing wrong in
giving a reply and this shows the childish behavior!
Centre concedes everything whatever Mamata asks for. Congres dare saying
anything against Mamata. Stupid weak Government.
this is matter of country's security there should not be much delay to
bring that. government should not wait to other parties for there
consensus as we know that it has been pending since last two years.
country's security matter must be given priority than interests of all
the party if we wait for resolution it may be much delay i think it must
be passed immediately without any debate because time is demanding for
such resolution all party must be united to bring it at the execution
beating much speculation for the interest of our country ...
Centre concedes Mamata demand on NCTC??!!? What about NaMo? No mention whatsoever?
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