Chidambaram asks PM to tell status of NCTC, NATGRID

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the status of the NCTC and the NATGRID, both were conceived in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks 10 years ago.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the country's worst terror attack, Chidambaram asked whether these institutions were not important to construct a comprehensive security architecture.

"On the 10th anniversary of 26/11, will the PM please disclose the status of NCTC that was mooted 10 years ago? Will the PM also tell the country the present status of NATGRID?," he said in a series of tweets.

Chidambaram took over the charge of the Union home minister soon after the 26/11 attacks. It was he who mooted the idea of setting up of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID).

While the plans for the NCTC has been put into cold storage due to opposition by several chief ministers, including Modi when he was the Gujarat chief minister, the progress of NATGRID is reported to be very slow.

"Are these not important institutions that the country needs in order to construct a comprehensive security infrastructure? Why does no one in government talk about them?," Chidambaram asked.

Ten terrorists, who came from Pakistan through sea, carried out attack in multiple locations in the metropolis on November 26, 2008, killing 166 people.