NCTC infringes on powers of states: Opposition

NEW DELHI: Opposition members of a Parliamentary Committee today grilled the government on the setting up of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre and urged the panel to recommend that the proposal be put on hold.

Members of the Department-related Committee on Home posed tough questions to Home Secretary R K Singh at a meeting here today asking him how the Centre can decide unilaterally on setting up the counter-terrorism body without consulting states.

Sources said the Opposition members told Committee chairman and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu that he should recommend to the Home Ministry that the proposal be put on hold.

Members of BJP, BJD and Left parties were of the opinion that the new centre "infringes" on the powers of states and would affect the federal structure.

Chief ministers of a dozen states have voiced their opposition to the creation of the NCTC arguing that the rights of the states would be compromised if it comes into force.

At today's meeting, the members told Singh that the chief ministers of states should have been consulted before the decision to set up the body was taken.

The sources said a few members said the setting up of the body would be an attack on principles of federalism and it would have an adverse impact on Centre-State relations.

They said Congress members, who were present in the meeting, pitched for wider consultations on the issue.