In what will come as a relief to the Centre, chief minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have softened her stand on the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday said that Ms Banerjee was positively inclined towards the NCTC. “Un ka to man is mein ha (She is willing).
We had earlier also discussed the NCTC issue. She said that there was some clause which we needed to discuss together. But some other chief ministers are opposing it,” Mr Shinde said. He was talking to the media persons after a meeting with the chief minister at Bakkhali in South 24 Parganas.
The Centre had to put the proposal to set up NCTC on hold after some states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal had opposed some of its provisions. Mr Shinde said that even these chief minister agreed that terrorism was a scourge which should not be allowed on our soil. “We have to deal with terrorism together. We should not allow it on our land. The chief ministers also have the same opinion but they are saying that the Centre should not encroach on the rights of the states. We are in the process of finding a way out,” he added.
Calling Ms Banerjee his “sister”, Mr Shinde said he had a fruitful discussion with her on the allotment of land for BSF outposts in Bengal.
Contrary to the claims of the state Congress leaders, Mr Shinde did not broach the subject of law and order in the state with the chief minister. “I do not want to comment on it. Law and order is a state subject and the state government is looking into it,” the Union home minister said.