The National Counter-terrorism Center (NCTC) was established in 2004 by the Indian government to coordinate counterterrorism intelligence and operations across agencies. However, some state governments oppose NCTC, arguing it infringes on their jurisdiction. NCTC aims to establish local offices, gather real-time intelligence, and coordinate agencies like the National Security Guard. Supporters argue a central counterterrorism body is needed to tackle threats crossing state borders, while critics see it as reducing state power over policing.

3. The National Counter-terrorism Center (NCTC) was established
in 2004 by Presidential Executive Order.
Basically it is a top anti-terror body under Intelligence
bureau.
The formation of this counter-terror body defy the old format
of national government agencies, to make it more effective and a
distinguished organisation, following the key recommendations of
9/11 commission.
It has been inducted to become a centre for joint operational
planning and joint intelligence to counter terrorism that holds
the staff of distinguished personnel from various government
agencies.

5. Such a body is required to meet the growing threat of
terrorist violence which recognises neither national nor
international boundaries, especially for a country like
ours, which faces a high level of threat.
Under our Constitution, law and order and policing are
undoubtedly the responsibility of the state governments. But at
the time our Constitution was framed there were no organised
terrorist groups of the kind operating globally today.
Post Independence, communal and political ideology driven
violence was the worst that the police forces were called upon
to tackle.

6. Realising the seriousness of the threat from trans-national
terrorism, almost all major democracies including the
US, UK, and other European countries have been able to enact and
create central agencies to tackle the menace, within the
framework of their respective federal structures, placing
national security concerns above partisan politics.
Whenever a serious terrorist incident takes place the state
governments have been observed taking the plea that there was no
advance intelligence from the central agencies and occasionally
one also comes across comments to the effect that the state
police forces are neither equipped nor geared to counter threats
of such magnitude, especially those driven by external entities.
But now that the Centre has come up with a proposal to
constitute a central agency to combat terrorist threat head
on, there is a growing outcry that the Centre is treading on the
state governments' toes, in violation of the letter and spirit
of our Constitution.

8. As many as nine Chief Ministers of different states have
ridiculed the Centre's decision to instill NCTC across the
states in India.
Mamata Banerjee is also among the rebellion state heads, as
these CMs presume that this prime anti-terrorists agency may
clamp down the rights of their respective states.
NCTC will set up small offices across the state to gather the
real-time information. It will be headed by an Intelligence
bureau official and report to Home Ministry.
NCTC officers can carry out raids without a prior permission
of respective states.

9. The officers can arrest anyone over terrorism related cases.
The state's other government authorities are bound to share
details to the NCTC if required, no matter how confidential it
is.
Thus the anti-terror body will gather all real-time
intelligence, exactly what IB is now lacking, and distribute
information to other agencies, in order to have an effective
system in place to tackle terrorism.
It has the right to take assistance of any special force in
the country including National Security Guard (NSG)
A group of nine dissent-CMs see it as "a fringe on the rights
of states", Centre's "authoritarian" and "draconian", they have
also suggested PM to re-look into the Centre's decision.

11. It took the United States less than three years after the 9/11
attacks to get its National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) up
and away.
From our first major internationally organised terror attack
in Mumbai in March 1993 it took us 17 years to think of setting
up a similar centre.
During these 17 years we went through a series of
internationally organised high profile terror attacks.
After Kargil we established a Multi Agency Centre as
recommended by the GC Saxena intelligence task force.
This failed to deliver because the wonderful concept could not
be implemented properly. It merely ended up being another office
of the Intelligence Bureau.

12. The urgency to do something was apparent after the Mumbai
massacre in November 2008.
India hurriedly established the NIA in order perhaps to be
seen to be doing something although this organisation was in no
way going to stop terrorist attacks.
Now that there is talk that an Indian version of the NCTC is
on the anvil, many wonder what shape it would take.
The NCTC should co-ordinate, evaluate and analyse all
intelligence reports that relate to terrorism.
The NCTC must then decide on a course of action and task the
intelligence agency or any special forces that are available for
whatever action is necessary to abort the terrorist mission.

13. Source:
news.oneindia.in
www.rediff.com/news
www.hardnewsmedia.com
Thank You

14. COMING UP NEXT
New manufacturing policy
IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTION, OPINION OR FEEDBACK
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WRITE US AT
roshankumar.2007@rediffmail.com

15. Roshankumar S Pimpalkar