NCTC needed, even at expense of states' powers: NCP

Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil today supported the UPA government’s proposal to set up a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), saying that a united effort was necessary to counter terrorism even at the expense of powers of the states. Patil belongs to Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which is a part of UPA at the Centre and a coalition partner of Congress in Maharashtra. Replying to a debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Naxal attack in Gadchiroli district in which 12 CRPF jawans were killed, Patil said the NCTC was being opposed by certain states on the ground that it would infringe on their powers. But, he stated, “I would say that even if it is so, NCTC is the need of the hour when the country is facing security threats from within as well as from outside.” [caption id=“attachment_260251” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Screen grab from IBN Live.”] [/caption] He also said that “the state home minister should not be made a scapegoat if there is any (terror) incident”. Patil said Tuesday’s Naxal attack was the biggest in Maharashtra in the last two years. Since 2007, there had been 519 Naxal attacks in the state, in which 239 people including policemen lost lives. “The Naxal threat is growing every year and it is a cause of concern,” he said. Patil conceded that there were problems in the implementation of standard operating procedures, which led to the Tuesday’s tragedy. PTI