Fight against terror must co-exist with federalism: Jaitley

Feb 25, 2013 |

New Delhi

Amid stiff Opposition from Opposition-ruled states to the proposed NCTC, the BJP today said the fight against terror must co-exist with federalism and it was meaningless to debate the “imaginary federalism versus terrorism” issue.

“The fight against terrorism can and must co-exist with federalism. It would be meaningless to debate an imaginary ‘federalism versus terrorism’ issue,” party leader Arun Jaitley said in response to home minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s plea for setting up the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

“There could be no possible objection to a National Terrorism Counter Centre but its powers and jurisdictions must be within the constitutional framework.

“Collecting cross-border intelligence and keeping an eye on the activities of those who foment trouble from outside is exclusively within the domain and the capacity of the central government,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said the NCTC is proposed to be set up under the Intelligence Bureau and intelligence agencies should not get into police powers.

He cited the example of the American NCTC which deals with only strategic planning and the integration of intelligence without any operational involvement and it is the joint terrorism analysis centre that plays a coordinating role.

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