National counter-error

States dont and shouldnt take orders from New Delhi any more when will UPA get this?

With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee joining the critics on the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre,the Manmohan Singh government would do well to take note of a recurring pattern. This is not just about Banerjees unreformed imagination of herself as leader of a party of the opposition. Or an early testing of political waters by a possible non-Congress,non-BJP grouping of regional chieftains earlier,Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to J. Jayalalithaa,Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu to rally opposition to the NCTC. If it looks carefully,the Congress-led government will find that the growing chorus mimics opposition to some of its big moves in the recent past in three ways. One,the opposition comes not just from the political opponent,but also,and more,from the ally. Think Banerjee on the Lokayukta or on FDI in retail,and now on the NCTC. Two,a crucial part of the problem arises from the fact that the Centre is not talking or seen to be doing so,either to its allies or to states. And three,sensing a weakening Centre,allies and state governments are tempted to be oppositional,even for the sake of it. The federalism-in-danger argument deployed in each case masks a sorry chain reaction touched off by a ruling party that does not consult and engage enough,even though it does not have the numbers or the legitimacy to push big-ticket initiatives through.

By itself,the NCTC,an idea thrown up in the aftermath of 26/11,envisaged a new security architecture that would address the problems highlighted by state response to past terror attacks. It would ensure that the array of security organisations are not at odds,and work together,on countering terror. From the time it was proposed,however,the idea was whittled down to address apprehensions that it might encroach on states turf. For one,the NCTC director would be an officer of the rank of additional director in the Intelligence Bureau,who is likely to be junior to the chief of the police force in the state. Then,there would be a standing council within the NCTC with representation from every state police force.

To be sure,for wary state governments,the proposed bodys powers to arrest and search and to seek information might remain worrisome. Yet,these issues could have been placed on the table between the Centre and the states. With the NCTC likely to be delayed beyond its deadline of March 1,the UPA government may now initiate that conversation. But that will be seen to be keeling over to pressure,not conducting an exercise in democratic negotiation. And,in the process,underline its weakness again.