NCTC a poorly conceived idea: Modi

Gujarat CM says the new draft circulated has taken into consideration some of the concerns raised by the states but even then serious concerns remain

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today raised concerns over the new draft on National Counter Terrorism Centre terming it a "poorly conceived" idea which "tinkers" with old ideas rather than strengthening them.

"It is not clear how big it is going to be, what forces are going to comprise it, how exactly it is going to function and which statute will it derive its powers from. I think such poorly conceived ideas which tinker with age old existing systems rather than strengthening them are going to do irreparable loss to our internal security apparatus," he said.

Modi said he was slightly worried about the last minute circulation of proposed order on NCTC.

He said, "The fact that it is on the agenda and gets a passing mention should not be construed as a consultation with the states much less an arriving of consensus on this issue."

Speaking at the conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security, the Gujarat Chief Minister said the new draft circulated has taken into consideration some of the concerns raised by the states but even then serious concerns remain.

Modi expressed his strong reservations about the structure and functioning proposed in the National Counter Terrorism Centre Order, 2013.

"Moving the multi-agency centre (MAC) from within IB to the proposed NCTC will end up weakening it even as it appeared that it was taking some concrete shape. The proposed NCTC will be just another superstructure in the maze of institutions already existing," he said.

Modi said 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.

"I fear that it will be another institution of the Centre for political misuse against opposition-ruled states," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.