Chidambaram scraps report of Home Secretary asking bureaucrats not to act like 'stenographers'

New Delhi, Mar 13 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday denied media report that Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh had asked Chief Secretaries and Director General's of Police not to act like stenographers of their state governments in yesterday's meeting that took place to discuss the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

"I called the Home Secretary this morning. I asked him whether he made such a statement; he has categorically denied it. He also added that the correspondent of that paper spoke to him and asked him: Have you made the statement? He (Home Secretary R K Singh) told him (the correspondent) that you are misinformed; I have not made such a statement. I have the word of the Home Secretary," said Chidambaram.

"He (Home Secretary R K Singh) has not made such a statement and this has appeared only in one newspaper, no other newspapers carried this report," he added.

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, who raised this issue in the House, sought a stern action against the Home Secretary for such comments.

""Will he take action against the Home Secretary who adopted a vindictive attitude towards the chief ministers of the states and said to the DGs (Director Generals of Police) and Chief Secretaries of the states that 'Do not act as Stenographers," she said.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee strongly criticized the setting up of the NCTC, and stated that instituting such a body would interfere with the state legislature's power as such it should be withdrawn.

"NCTC should be withdrawn, that's our stand. That our honourable Chief Minister has told earlier also. By written they have given the objection and I have also said also today in the House raising a supplementary question that NCTC should be withdrawn as it interferes with the state legislative power. You can't do it. If the law and order is completely a subject of the state, how can you interfere with it? If it interferes, it should be withdrawn," said Banerjee.

"Therefore, that is the reason we have also given an amendment to paragraph 91 of the honourable President's speech that NCTC word should be deleted from it," he added.

The main task of the NCTC would be to ensure that a wide variety of security organizations in the country work in tandem, at least on issues related to terrorism.

It will also have the power to seek information, including documents, reports, transcripts, and cyber information from any agency, including from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency, National Technical Research Organization, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and all seven central armed police forces including the National Security Guard (NSG).

The body, which will function under the Intelligence Bureau, would be given its own operational wing with powers to arrest and conduct searches under Section 43A of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. (ANI)