The Centre’s plan to create the ambitious National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) linking up all home ministries of various states seems to be nipped in the bud as several chief ministers opposed the idea tooth and nail.

Describing the proposal as an attempt to eat away into the federal rights of the states, majority of the non-Congress Chief Ministers asked the centre to drop the idea.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wrote letters to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh asking him to review and withdraw the decision.

Even former Chief Minister and TDP supremo Mr Chandrababu Naidu also wrote to Manmohan Singh seeking withdrawal of the decision.

Mamatha Banerjee said, in her letter to the PM, that the creation of such a body linking all home ministries of various states and vesting it with unrestrained and arbitrary power to counter terror would have a negative bearing on the rights and privileges of the states as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Reacting to the criticism, Union Home Secretary R. K. Singh told journalists in Delhi today that the proposal is mooted in the national interest. “There is no need to consult the states prior to issuing notification on the NCTC as it is being established under the existing laws guided by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act under which the national security agencies are already operating to counter terror in the country,” he said making light of the objections. (JUBS)