Mamata Banerjee leaves to meet PM, Gorkhaland, NCTC issue may figure in talks

New Delhi, Feb.22 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has left her place of stay in New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Mmanmohan Singh, at his official 7, Race Course Road residence here.

Reports said that the Trinamool Congress leader is likely to discuss the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) issues with the prime minister.

Banerjee arrived in Delhi last night for a meeting with Prime Minister later today.

She also expected to discuss the issue of the "excess flow of water" to Bangladesh through the Farakka Barrage.

On the NCTC issue, Mamata is among seven chief ministers who have raised serious objections to the Central Government's move to set up the NCTC without consulting the state governments.

Banerjee and the other six chief ministers are of the view that with law and order being a state subject, it is the responsibility and duty of the central government to interact with state governments on the issue.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister sent letters to the chief ministers assuring state governments that their concerns about the NCTC are being addressed.

Dr.Singh said he has instructed the home ministry to address questions raised by the seven chief ministers that includes Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik of Orissa, J. Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu, Nitish Kumar of Bihar and Narendra Modi of Gujarat.

In his letter, Dr Singh wrote, "In forming the NCTC, it is not the government's intent in any way to affect the basic features of the Constitutional provisions and allocation of powers between the States and the Union."

Banerjee has accused the central government of not informing the West Bengal Government about the two damaged sluice gates on the Farakka Barrage, resulting in Bangladesh getting 82,801 cusecs of water as against 35,000 cusecs it is supposed to get during the dry season. (ANI)