Orissa chief minister and Naveen Patnaik on Saturday alleged that the Centre was not “forthcoming” in sharing information on important decisions, including the ones taken on national security.
Reacting to home minister P. Chidambaram’s statement that national security was a “shared responsibility” between the states and Centre, Mr Patnaik said, “If this is a shared responsibility, then I’m surprised why didn’t the Union government consult the states before entrusting arbitrary powers upon the National Counter-Terrorism Centre?”
Mr Chidambaram, while inaugurating the NSG hub near Kolkata, said the Central government did not pursue any discriminatory attitude towards the state governments run by other parties while taking decisions on national security. Mr Patnaik said, “The Centre is not sharing vital information, including on the powers conferred on the NCTC notification for which is going to be put into operation on March 1, 2012. On the other hand, I’m surprised the Centre is sending fat bills to Maoist-infested states for deployment of Central forces.”
Nine CMs, mostly of non-Congress ruled states, have opposed the NCTC’s proposed powers to make arrest and carry out search operations in other states without prior approval of and information to the local police and administration. They contend that such a move by the federal government is “authoritarian”.