Country will have to pay price if NCTC does not come: Govt

Finance Minister P Chidambaram said it was 'regrettable' that a few chief ministers opposed even the modified version of the National Counter Terrorism Centre

Rejecting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's contention that NCTC is a "poorly conceived" idea, the Centre today said the country will have to pay heavy price if the anti-terror hub does not come into existence.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the architect of the NCTC, said it was "deeply regrettable" that a few chief ministers opposed even the modified version of the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

"I am afraid, the kind of seriousness that we should give to NCTC, is lost. And I deeply regret that a couple of chief ministers opposed the NCTC even at the present modified version. If this NCTC is opposed, I am afraid, as I said, the country will pay price from time to time," he told reporters after Modi's criticism of NCTC at the Chief Ministers conference.

The Gujarat chief minister termed the NCTC as a "poorly conceived" idea which "tinkers" with old ideas rather than strengthening them.

Modi said the proposed structure of the NCTC is not in congruence with the principles of federalism as it essentially tries to create a "federal police" which is an alien concept to the country.

Chidambaram, who was present at the conference, said that had the central government brought NCTC along with amendment to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, National Investigation Agency Act and with the Multi Agency Centre in December 2008 after the 26/11 terror attack, it would have got approval of the states.

"Some chief ministers are talking about giving safeguards on NCTC. They are not opposing NCTC. I think opposing NCTC is unfortunate. I think it is wrong," he said.