Federalism versus Unitary ? Or... Debate over NCTC
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 08, 2012 -

Is the debate over the National Counter-Terrorism Centre more about the Constitutional definition of the Nation as Federal in structure but Unitary in spirit or does it go "beyond looking at counter-terrorism as a police operation and enlarge the scope to make it a truly counter-terrorism organisation that will mobilise all elements of National power," as Union Home Minister P Chidambaram put it in his address at the Chief Ministers' Conference on internal security at New Delhi some days back ?

Amid the debate surrounding the proposal of the Union Home Ministry to constitute the NCTC, it is interesting to note that while all, well almost all the non-Congress ruled States, have vetoed the idea, the Congress ruled States have gone along with the idea, albeit with some riders, such as the issue of human rights as pointed out by the Chief Minister of Manipur, O Ibobi Singh.

It is also significant and interesting to note that the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, whose party the Trinamool Congress is an ally of the UPA at the Centre, has struck a strong stand against the proposed NCTC.

In many ways federalism in India has been understood when pitted against the unitary spirit and not by the merit of the distinct characteristics of the Nation which made the authors of the Constitution of the country to go in for the line 'Federal in structure but unitary in spirit.'

It is on this principle that Chief Ministers from non-Congress ruled States have voiced their staunch stand against the setting up of the NCTC and intrinsic in their stand is the apprehension of the Centre riding rough shod over territories which have been identified as State subjects by the Constitution.

However it also stands true that scoring political points at the cost of the Nation's security or governance cannot be the priority of any Government and this is where the issue at hand needs to be examined more carefully.

The central idea that runs through the address of Chief Minister O Ibobi at the Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security a few days back was human rights.

In a State where the question of human rights has gone beyond the mere understanding of denying the fundamental rights to its citizens, the observation of the Chief Minister is profound and Delhi should take note of it.

This is all that more so given the fact that the idea of India as a Nation does not extend beyond the Brahmaputra in the consciousness of majority of the people who are generally known as the mainland Indians in this part of the country.

Terrorism cuts across National boundaries. It does not identify Nationalities and it does not discriminate. All are targets.

This much is true and with India having been at the receiving end of numerous terrorist attacks in the recent past, the need to set up an effective counter terrorism cell or centre has never been felt as strongly as now.

However countering terrorism must be preceded by a thorough knowledge of the people and the social and political context of the place. The idea of NCTC may work perfectly well in a State like say Maharastra but will its model, in its present form, work in a place like Manipur or even Assam ?

These are questions that should not be overlooked by the Union Home Ministry. Manipur has already seen enough of the uglier side of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and as indicated thus far, Delhi thinks this Act is not applicable in other parts of the country, even in Maoists infested States.

Likewise, has Delhi given any thought on whether the NCTC will serve its purpose or prove counter productive in a place like Manipur, though it may work in a State like Maharastra ?

The concerns put forward by Chief Minister O Ibobi, needs more deliberations and should not be merely dismissed as a statement issued by a Chief Minister from a peripheral State like Manipur.