BJP tells Chidambaram not adopt authoritarian role on formation of NCTC

Patna, Apr 15 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday told Home Minister P. Chidambaram to not to work in an authoritarian manner while building consensus on formation of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

Commenting on the meeting of Chidambaram with state chief ministers to discuss the establishment of NCTC, BJP spokesperson Shahnwaz Hussain said internal security and law and order was a state subject and the home minister should take the chief ministers in confidence while taking any decision in this regard.

"The policy of P. Chidambaram on internal security does not bestow too much confidence on the state chief ministers but depicts an authoritarian approach of ruling the country. We believe that internal security and managing law and order is a state subject.

"The elected chief ministers of the states are as worried as Mr. Chidambaram and hence he should bring the chief ministers into confidence and then take a decision rather than sticking to their authoritarian policy which hampers the unity and sovereignty of the nation," said Hussain.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister and a close ally of the Congress party, Mamata Banerjee pulled out of the meeting. She gave no clear reason for doing so.

However, Banerjee is expected to attend the May 5 meeting on the controversial NCTC issue.Banerjee, along with her counterparts from Tamil Nadu, Odisha and a few other states, has been opposing the setting up of the NCTC claiming the proposed anti-terror hub would infringe upon the states' powers and hurt the country's federal structure.The April 16 meeting will review internal security situation in the country. Police Reforms and capacity building and ongoing and new initiatives will be high on the agenda.Other issues to be deliberated upon include strengthening of counter terrorism capabilities and intelligence apparatus, Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS), issues related to Left Wing extremism, border management, coastal security and other Centre-State issues. (ANI)