New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Reiterating his assurances in the Lok Sabha on the much-contested National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday the anti-terror intelligence hub would be set up only after consultations with the state chief ministers.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on President Pratibha Patil's March 12 address to the joint sitting of parliament, Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that federal structure will not be disturbed by NCTC - as was feared by opponents of the anti-terror unit.
"Nothing will be done that will infringe upon the federal structure of the constitution," the prime minister said.
He had made the same point in the Lok Sabha Monday.
"I think the idea of NCTC and the manner in which it will function are two separate issues. There may be differences on the functioning of NCTC. But I am confident these can be narrowed down through consultations and discussions," he said.
The prime minister also informed the house that a meeting of chief ministers was scheduled April 16 when the states will be consulted on their views on NCTC.
A dissatisfied opposition however wanted an assurance from him that the anti-terror unit will not be established till a consensus is arrived at with all states.
They moved amendments which were defeated thanks to the support the government, which is in minority in the upper house, got from the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Trinamool Congress who were among the bitter opponents of NCTC.
The prime minister, in his speech. said the the abduction of two Italian nationals in Odisha was a "grim reminder" of the challenge posed by Maoist insurgents to India's internal security.
"The abduction of two foreign nationals recently is a grim reminder to all of us of the challenge to our internal security from leftwing extremism."
The two Italian tourists, Bosusco Paolo and Claudio Colangelo, were abducted by Leftist rebels March 14 while they were on a trek in Odisha's Kandhamal district.
Referring to the economic situation in the country, the prime minister warned of "pitfalls" if India did not rise to the occasion and sought a "broad-based consensus" to meet the challenges.
He also noted that the major economies of the world have made "fragile" recoveries from the economic downturn and the growth rate in 2011-12 was half that of 2010-11.
The motion of thanks on the president's address, already adopted in the Lok Sabha, was later passed by the upper house.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on President Pratibha Patil's March 12 address to the joint sitting of parliament, Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that federal structure will not be disturbed by NCTC - as was feared by opponents of the anti-terror unit.
"Nothing will be done that will infringe upon the federal structure of the constitution," the prime minister said.
He had made the same point in the Lok Sabha Monday.
"I think the idea of NCTC and the manner in which it will function are two separate issues. There may be differences on the functioning of NCTC. But I am confident these can be narrowed down through consultations and discussions," he said.
The prime minister also informed the house that a meeting of chief ministers was scheduled April 16 when the states will be consulted on their views on NCTC.
A dissatisfied opposition however wanted an assurance from him that the anti-terror unit will not be established till a consensus is arrived at with all states.
They moved amendments which were defeated thanks to the support the government, which is in minority in the upper house, got from the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Trinamool Congress who were among the bitter opponents of NCTC.
The prime minister, in his speech. said the the abduction of two Italian nationals in Odisha was a "grim reminder" of the challenge posed by Maoist insurgents to India's internal security.
"The abduction of two foreign nationals recently is a grim reminder to all of us of the challenge to our internal security from leftwing extremism."
The two Italian tourists, Bosusco Paolo and Claudio Colangelo, were abducted by Leftist rebels March 14 while they were on a trek in Odisha's Kandhamal district.
Referring to the economic situation in the country, the prime minister warned of "pitfalls" if India did not rise to the occasion and sought a "broad-based consensus" to meet the challenges.
He also noted that the major economies of the world have made "fragile" recoveries from the economic downturn and the growth rate in 2011-12 was half that of 2010-11.
The motion of thanks on the president's address, already adopted in the Lok Sabha, was later passed by the upper house.
No comments: