NCTC needed, even at expense of states' powers: NCP minister

Maharashtra Home Minister  RR Patil on Thursday supported the UPA government's controversial proposal to set up National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), saying that a united effort was necessary to counter terrorism, even at the expense of powers of the states.

Patil belongs to Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which is a part of UPA at the Centre, and is in coalition with Congress in the state.

Replying to a debate in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday's Naxal attack in Gadchiroli district in which 12 CRPF jawans were killed, Patil said the NCTC was being opposed by certain states on the ground that it would infringe on states' powers.

But, he stated, "I would say that even if it is so, NCTC is the need of the hour when the country is facing security threats from within as well as from outside."

He also said that "the state home minister should not be made a scapegoat if there is any (terror) incident".

The Home Minister said Tuesday's Naxal attack was the biggest in Maharashtra in the last two years. Since 2007, there had been 519 Naxal attacks in the state, in which 239 persons including policemen lost lives.

"The Naxal threat is growing every year and it is a cause of concern," he said.

Patil conceded that there were problems in the implementation of standard operating procedures, which led to the Tuesday's tragedy.