Facing strident criticism from non-Congress Chief Ministers, the Centre is all set to press the ‘pause' button on the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which was scheduled to become operative from March 1.
In all likelihood, it will become functional only in April, as Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has promised to start consultations with the State governments. He has not gone ahead with the appointment of the Director and three Joint Directors of the NCTC.
As results of the Assembly elections in five States are to be declared on March 6 and Parliament is scheduled to begin the crucial budget session from March 12, the Home Ministry is said to be contemplating holding the first round of discussions with the State police chiefs and Chief Secretaries on March 9 and 10. The UPA government is likely to face the opposition heat on the counter-terror hub during the Parliament session.
In his letter to 10 Chief Ministers, including Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal, whose Trinamool Congress is a partner in the UPA government and who is the loudest critic of the proposal to set up the NCTC, Mr. Chidambaram assured them that the “next steps” on the counter-terror hub would be taken only after the meeting of the DGPs. But it would be a political call and would take much more vigorous efforts by the UPA government to bring the Chief Ministers on board.
The Union Home Secretary will invite the Chief Secretaries and Home Commissioners of all States along with the DGPs and heads of anti-terror organisations for a meeting to “discuss in detail the scope and functions of the NCTC.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding that a session of the National Integration Council be held to evolve a national consensus on the matter. He said giving the NCTC “enormous powers” might lead to an overlapping of responsibilities of the law enforcing agencies and result in its misuse.
