The Hindu – A hard road ahead for National Counter Terrorism Centre

Mamata, Jayalalithaa not to attend today’s Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security

Sandeep Joshi

New Delhi, 5 June 2013.  Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is not likely to get the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) cleared at Wednesday’s Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security. At least two opposing Chief Ministers — Tamil Nadu’s Jayalalithaa and West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee — have decided not to attendwhile others like Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik and Bihar’s Nitish Kumar, apart from the BJP-ruled States, are likely pose tough questions on the issue.

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will inaugurate the conference, will reiterate the need for having the NCTC strengthen anti-terror paraphernalia, Mr. Shinde, whose emissaries have been working overtime to sell the diluted NCTC draft to non-Congress Chief Ministers for almost a year now, might find it difficult to convince opposing States that the new law would not encroach on their sovereign rights.

Noting that the political compulsions of the BJP and other State parties were forcing them to oppose the NCTC, a senior government official said: “In the revised NCTC draft, which has already been circulated to all CMs, the so-called irritants have been removed. For instance, the NCTC would work directly under the Home Ministry and under the Intelligence Bureau as proposed earlier, while all anti-terror operations would be carried out by taking States into confidence.”

“Where a terrorist or a terrorist organisation is identified, operations against them would be carried out through or in conjunction with State police. Similarly, the NCTC would clear all requests for deployment of  ‘special forces’ to assist State police whenever their services are required. The effort behind the reworking of the [NCTC draft] was to take all States into confidence so that a robust anti-terror infrastructure could be created,” the officer said.

However, it seems that so far all this has failed to cut ice with opposing CMs. Mr. Naveen Patnaik told journalists in the Capital that he was still not sure about the NCTC and would decide on it only after it was discussed by the CMs and the Union government at the meet. On the other hand, Ms. Jayalalithaa, who will not be present at the meet, has termed such conference as a “routinised ritual”, giving a clear signal to the government.

Interestingly, since Mr. Shinde took charge of the Home Ministry last year, he has been making all-out efforts to reach out to opposing Chief Ministers to get the NCTC cleared. Sources said he had even deputed a small team to reach out to all opposing Chief Ministers before making changes in the draft.

Though former Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who mooted this idea based on the United States’ NCTC, was not keen to accommodate changes to the original draft [lest it defeat] the very purpose of creating a specialised anti-terror organisation, Mr. Shinde has kept an open mind on the idea.

Wednesday’s conference will be a test for Mr. Shinde and the Home Ministry’s last chance to get the NCTC cleared before the next year’s general elections,” a senior official said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a-hard-road-ahead-for-nctc/article4782216.ece

The Asian Age – NCTC not a Centre vs state issue: PM

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 6 May 2012. Defending the move to set up a National Counter Terrorism Centre, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said establishing NCTC is not a state versus Centre issue, rather it will work as a vehicle of country’s combined efforts to curb terrorism. He said the new agency NCTC will supplement the counter-terrorism capabilities of the states and not supplant them.

“Terrorism is today one of the most potent threats to our national security. There can be no disagreement on putting an effective counter terrorism regime with efficient mechanism and response systems both at the national level and at the state level,” the Prime Minister said in his inaugural speech at a conference of chief ministers called to discuss NCTC.

Saturday’s meet was called after atleast a dozen chief ministers opposed the setting up of NCTC.

Allaying fears of the chief ministers about disturbing the federal structure, the Prime Minister stressed the government’s intention was in no way to affect the distribution of powers between the states and the Union that the Constitution provides.

“Neither the states nor the Centre can fulfil this task alone. The closest cooperation and coordination is therefore necessary to meet the threats that emanate from within and outside our borders,” he said.

Dr Singh said: “I believe that it is the responsibility of the Centre to give form and shape to a cohesive national approach and strategy based on information gathered globally and from all the states of our Union”.

http://www.asianage.com/india/nctc-not-centre-vs-state-issue-pm-363

The Hindu – NCTC won’t tread on your toes, Chidambaram assures States

Fighting terror and violence is a shared responsibility, he asserts

Vinay Kumar

New Delhi, 3 May 2012. While asserting that fighting terror and violence is a shared responsibility of the Centre and the States, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday sought to allay the fears of States that the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)
would encroach upon their rights.

His comments in the Lok Sabha came ahead of the May 5 meeting of the Chief Ministers on the controversial counter-terror hub. Almost all non-Congress Chief Ministers are opposing creation of the NCTC on the ground that it would violate principles of federal structure.

During his 50-minute reply to a five-hour debate on the demand for grants for the Home Ministry for 2012-13, Mr. Chidambaram renewed his offer of talks to Maoists, provided they abjured violence during the period of negotiations. He also dwelt on the Telangana issue, who had often led to uproar in the Lok Sabha.

The Minister questioned the opposition to the amendment to the BSF Act, saying it gave the Central paramilitary force no additional powers but was only aimed at regularising deployment in States which was not provided under the original law.

“Dealing with violence and terrorism is the shared responsibility. While we are willing to share our responsibility, we want States to share their responsibility,” he said.

Referring to the NCTC, Mr. Chidambaram said it was an offshoot of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that was debated and passed by Parliament in 2004 and amended in 2008.

“I am accused of encroaching upon powers of the States. What power am I encroaching upon? … [Under the NCTC], the designated agency, during counter-terrorism operation, may arrest an accused, make seizure and hand [him] over to the nearest police station immediately. Thereafter the SHO will take over the investigation.” Mr. Chidambaram was referring to the UAPA provision 43(A), which empowered the designated agency to make arrests and search and seizure. This was being opposed by the States.

“You should have accused me of tardy progress and delay and asked me what I was doing for [the] last three years. But you are accusing me of encroaching upon your powers.”

Another offer to Maoists

Reiterating the offer of talks to the CPI (Maoists), Mr. Chidambaram asked: “Should there be violence when we hold talks?”

So far there had not been any response but he was willing to make the offer once again. The Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Odisha had also made the offer of talks but did not receive any response from the Maoists, Mr. Chidambaram said.

Referring to the Integrated Action Plan, under which development projects had been undertaken in 60 districts affected by Naxal violence, he said so far Rs. 3,300 crore was spent on completion of 66,000 works.

“CPI (Maoists) don’t want roads and school buildings to be built because roads will open up the hinterland and schools will impart education. That’s why they target construction companies and indulge in extortion from mining companies.”

Mr. Chidambaram said the Maoists wanted to overthrow parliamentary democracy through an armed rebellion. “They say that power must be seized through [the] barrel of a gun. I ask this House, is this negotiable?

Referring to terror networks in India’s “troubled” neighbourhood, the Minister said 80 per cent of terror incidents had occurred in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. “Terror organisations like the al-Qaeda, LeT, HuJI and Taliban have their bases in these countries,” he said.

“To assume that we will not be affected is not a correct assumption. We have to make our country more secure. Every country is vulnerable today. India is no more vulnerable and is no less vulnerable than [are] other countries.”

BJP seeks White Paper

Earlier, the BJP attacked the government for not doing enough to effectively deal with terrorism and Naxalism, accusing the UPA government of turning India into a “soft” state.

Initiating the discussion, the BJP’s Anurag Thakur demanded a White Paper on the government’s initiative to deal with Naxalism, which had become a big threat to the nation.

Later, the demand for grants was passed by voice vote after all cut motions were negated together.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3377851.ece