NCTC design flawed: BJP

NEW DELHI: Accusing the Centre of trying to hide its own failure to counter terrorism, BJP today said the NCTC design was flawed as the operational role was given to an intelligence agency instead of leaving it to states.

The main opposition party said the role of NCTC should be limited to intelligence gathering to counter terrorism and states should be entrusted with the operational responsibilities.

"Though operational responsibilities are given to all counter-terrorism bodies in the world, nowhere are counter-terrorism intelligence centres given operational roles," BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters here.

She attacked the "minority UPA government of abusing" its powers by imposing such an ill-conceived legislation.

The counter-terrorism intelligence centres only make assessments of threats and assist the operational forces to plan actions and support operations, she said.

"Therefore the very basis of NCTC as an intelligence cum operational agency is flawed," Lekhi said.

She said the country needed an intelligence agency which can collate messages and control intelligence centre where as operational responsibility to counter terrorism have to be with the states.

"We believe that the NCTC is an effort to hide its own failures to counter terrorism with existing mechanisms," Lekhi said.

She said Left Wing insurgency also needed to be equated with terrorism. Lekhi said terrorism and naxalism were two sides of the same coin.