Amid growing clamour against setting up of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggesting a session of National Integration Council to bring national consensus on the matter.
In the letter, the chief minister said that giving “enormous powers” to the NCTC may lead to overlapping of responsibilities of the law enforcing agencies and result in its misuse.
“Criminal law is a shared responsibility of the Union and the States; such a move necessitates prior consultation with the State government.
“Our Constitution stipulates rights and responsibilities of the Centre and the State government and such an order giving enormous powers to an agency of the central government may lead to overlapping of the responsibilities of law enforcing agencies.
“Moreover, misuse of the unbridled powers given to the NCTC cannot be overruled,” the Chief minister of BJP ruled State said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier this month issued an office memorandum detailing functions, powers and duties of the NCTC.
Asserting commitment to fight all forms of terrorism, Mr. Singh said there is need for an in-depth analysis and study of its implications.
“I may suggest here that a special session of National Integration Council, which balances the principles of our federal polity, may be convened to work out a national consensus on the issue,” he said.
Besides Chhattisgarh, Chief Ministers of about a dozen States including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Narendra Modi (Gujarat), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and J Jayalalithaa (Tamil Nadu) have opposed the Centre’s move to set up the NCTC.
As per the proposal, the NCTC would be a single window organisation that will gather and disseminate intelligence to central and State security organisations and to ensure that the perpetrators of terror are brought to justice.
