Chidambaram needs to create political consensus

Prime minister Manmohan Singh and his home minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, may cry themselves hoarse that the establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Centre is not a ‘states versus Centre’ issue, but, unfortunately, that is exactly how the matter is being perceived, not just by opposition chief ministers, but also by some from the United Progressive Alliance.

Since taking charge, Chidambaram has gone about strengthening the country’s internal security apparatus with quiet determination. Indeed, in the three-and-a-half years that he has held the office, the country has witnessed just two major terrorist attacks — the February 2010 blast in Pune, and the July 2011 blasts in Mumbai — while the police have claimed to have thwarted several other attempts.

Chidambaram has also set up the National Investigative Agency to investigate terrorist offences and conspiracies. Despite this progress, or perhaps because of it, the home minister has clearly felt the need for the NCTC. Given the wide disparities in capability, training and motivation of the state police forces to combat what is essentially a crime that transcends even national boundaries, there can be no argument against the proposal. Indeed, the unseemly row earlier this year, when the Delhi police and Maharashtra’s anti-terrorist squad got in each other’s way and, if sources are to be believed, allowed terror mastermind Riyaz Bhatkal to get away, only strengthens the case for the NCTC.

The fact remains, however, that in a fractured polity, it is practically impossible to push through any such proposal that can be seen to encroach upon the powers of the state governments. Changing the contours of the NCTC to soothe the ruffled feathers of the states may just end up emasculating the agency even before it is born. It would, perhaps, be prudent on the part of the home minister to keep the plan for the agency on the back burner and focus his energy on working out a political consensus first.