NCTC doesn’t violate federal structure: Chidambaram

The proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) is an absolute necessity to fight terror and it “does not violate the federal structure”, Home Minister P. Chidamabaram said Tuesday.

Chidambaram said the government was ready to debate it in the light of opposition from many states.

“I am clear that NCTC is an absolute necessity to fight terrorism… Those who oppose certain aspects of it also agree on the idea,” he told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

“NCTC does not violate the federal structure,” he added.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj and United Progressive Alliance ally Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee opposed the NCTC.

Swaraj said as many 10 states were against the NCTC as it encroached upon the rights of the states. Banerjee demanded the anti-terrorism centre should be dropped.