UPA section sceptical about NCTC
There is a growing influential section within the UPA government which too is having doubts now on the effectiveness of the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) which has already run into rough weather following stiff resistance from the States.
Even though the Union home ministry is still keen to push through the counter-terrorism body by bringing it out of the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau, highly placed government said the move will face stiff resistance as and when it comes up for discussion in the Cabinet.
At least some of the Cabinet members, sources added, are of the view that there is perhaps no immediate need to have such a mechanism as intelligence agencies both at the Centre and the state level are doing a fairly good job of dealing with the vexed problem of terrorism. Further, there is a view within the government that NCTC’s work would overlap with that of the Intelligence Bureau as well as the National Investigation Agency.
In addition, some members of the Cabinet are of the view that the earlier two agencies, the NIA and the Natgrid, which is yet to take off, have not been able to give the desired results.
“There is no point having multiple agencies virtually doing the same job. Already enough resources have gone into Natrgid and NIA. Lets see how these tow shape up first and then once can take a call on the NCTC. Just because something has been conceived doesn’t necessarily mean it would be effective too,’’ a top government functionary told this newspaper. In fact, sources added, once the Cabinet discusses the NCTC proposal there would also be comprehensive review of the progress on the Natgrid as well as the functioning of the NIA. Sources claim the NIA since its inception has not able to give the desired results in cracking a big case or smashing an important terror module. Cases like the Mumbai and Pune serial blasts were cracked by the Mumbai and Delhi Police respectively. Similarly, the Darbhanga module of the IM was cracked by Delhi Police’s Special Cell.
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