NCTC issue: Chandrababu Naidu slams Centre, writes to PM

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has taken strong exception to the powers given to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and said the Government's move on the anti-terror body "smacks of authoritarianism".

The Union Home Ministry's order vesting "all- encompassing and sweeping powers" in the NCTC, undoubtedly, smacks of authoritarianism and is against the spirit of co- operative federalism enunciated in the Constitution," TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

"It is quite inexplicable that such an important order, having ramifications over Centre-State relations, has been issued without consulting the State Governments and the political parties," he said.

Maintaining that TDP always stood for "co-operative federalism", the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister requested Singh to direct the Union Home Ministry to rescind the order forthwith and initiate a debate on the NCTC issue with political parties and States besides in Parliament.

NCTC, formed under the existing Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, will be located in the Intelligence Bureau. Officers of the Operations Division of the NCTC will have the powers to arrest and search.