New Delhi: With the government's move to set up NCTC facing stiff opposition from non-Congress states, the Congress on Monday said they should first answer whether they will able to tackle the challenge posed by terrorism without the Centre's involvement.
"The fundamental thing is that whether terror is a local issue. If the argument rests on a premise that the central government in a federal set up should not have the authority to interfere in law and order, then the question is how do you tackle terrorism, which is not only trans-state but has become a transnational matter," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.
Referring to the Mumbai terror strikes and the Naxal violence in various states, Tewari said the question whether such a terror challenge in an area is only challenge to a state or to the nation's sovereignty, has to be answered.
At the AICC briefing, Tewari said though NCTC is "not a magic bullet" that will end terrorism but in the array of options available before the government "NCTC definitely should be an option".
"When we try painting NCTC as an assault on federal structure, are we projecting that terror is a local issue and states are capable to deal with it?
There is a need to understand we live in a difficult neighbourhood and terror is a real challenge," he said. Tewari at the same time refused to comment on specific objections regarding the operation of NCTC and its location in IB saying these are the issues for the government to respond.
He also said that the May 5 meeting of Chief Ministers was an effort to ally the apprehension of Chief Ministers.
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