Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said the Centre`s proposal to set up National Counter-Terrorism Centre is a "serious" issue and asked it to
take states into confidence before going ahead with the plan.
"The state governments are with the Centre in the fight against terrorism and would like to be trusted by the Centre," he told media persons here.
The state governments have objection to the Centre`s thoughts on fighting terrorism on its own by bypassing the states. By doing so the latter will infringe upon the federal rights of the states as enshrined in the Constitution, he said.
"Such violation of federal rights of the states is not acceptable," Kumar said.
The Centre, he said, should instead hold dialogue with the state governments to discuss issue-based opposition to the anti-terrorism hub and also to work out a finer blueprint for it.
Questioning the need for NCTC to fight terrorism, he wondered why was National Investigating Agency set up a few years ago with similar objective.
"There cannot be a coordinated action against terrorism by setting up new centres every day," he said.
Kumar said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram apprising them about his concerns on NCTC in detail but had received short replies from them.
Bihar government`s concern on NCTC was also conveyed to the union home secretary during a meeting with him by Bihar director general of police and home secretary, he said.
Kumar said he would raise the state government`s concern on NCTC if the Prime Minister convened a meeting of chief ministers.
PTI
