National Counter Terrorism Centre required to combat terror effectively: Sriprakash Jaiswal

Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Sunday said that a strong anti-terror body like National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) is required fight against effectively and bring such activities to an end.

Talking to reporters here at a press conference, Jaiswal said that the Center had much earlier, during the UPA-I, when he was Minister of State for Home Affairs, decided to constitute NCTC, but due to some state governments and political parties it didn't get passed.

"The country urgently needs a committee like NCTC. If any state government or any political party have any objection regarding its provisions, we may solve it out by discussion, but they should not appose the committee," said Jaiswal.

"We have several enemies in and outside the country, and they strike whenever they see that peace and harmony prevailing here. They always want to destabilise us. That's why we need a strong agency," he added.

Post-Hyderabad blasts, the Centre has once again sensed the urgency of setting up the NCTC, but some state government and opposition parties mainly the Bharatiya Janata Party is have strong objection against such agency.

Explaining how the NCTC could help prevent terror attacks, a senior MHA official said recently all the States were alerted about possible terror attacks, while five cities were given specific inputs.