Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa urged the Centre on Monday to put formation of National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in “abeyance” and sought a separate meeting of chief ministers to discuss “only” the issue.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said the NCTC also figured among issues listed for discussion at a meeting of chief ministers convened on April 16 to discuss matters of internal security.
“It is indeed unfortunate that without taking into consideration views and sentiments of the chief ministers the constitution of the NCTC is sought to be steamrolled into existence,” Ms Jayalalithaa said.
She pointed out that several states, including those ruled by the Congress, opposed the NCTC in its present proposed format at a meeting of chief/home secretaries convened by the Union home secretary on March 12.
“The views of various chief ministers will have to be given due consideration and a purposeful discussion on counter-terrorism should be made possible,” Ms Jayalalithaa said and “requested” an early reply.
The chief minister recalled that she had earlier sent a letter raising strong objections to certain provisions of the office memorandum issued by the ministry of home affairs regarding the formation and functioning of the NCTC and the manner in which the NCTC was sought to be constituted without consulting the states.