Two chief ministers on Monday accused the Centre of trampling on states’ powers and not consulting them on crucial internal security decisions. J Jayalalithaa and Narendra Modi criticised the Centre at the annual conference of chief ministers in New Delhi on Monday.
Modi alleged the centre was creating a “state within state” by amending laws to take away powers from state police and meddling with subjects under the Constitution’s state list.
He alleged the Central Bureau of Investigation and other central agencies are being politicised and used to harass political rivals of the ruling party at the centre. “This approach has gravely compromised the credibility of agencies like CBI and is a matter of concern since these agencies are also involved in internal security matters,” he said.
Modi rejected the Centre’s claim that 97 per cent of intelligence inputs are generated by central agencies. He said such statements belittle the efforts of state security personnel who are foot soldiers for homeland security.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa alleged the Centre wants to reduce state governments to “glorified municipal corporations” by amending laws.
The Centre is “trying to intimidate and browbeat the States through top down structures particularly when ‘police’ is a state subject is not acceptable. There are continuous veiled attempts by the Centre to weaken the States with too much interference which is detrimental to the national interest,” said Jayalalithaa.
She alleged the Centre is reducing the funds for modernising police forces “year after year”. “The constant attempts to reduce states to the level of glorified municipal corporations heavily dependent on the Centre for funds is a travesty of the federal nature of our existence.”
“I am afraid there is an emerging pattern wherein the powers vested with the States are sought to be abrogated without the attendant responsibility, either by the passage of bills or issuance of notifications,” she said.
Inaugurating the conference, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged states to fight Left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence together with the central government.
“Left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence are the major internal security challenges facing the country… I urge the states to fight them together with the centre,” Singh said.
“The internal security situation in the country since February 2011 has been by and large satisfactory,” he said.
Stating that India needs to strengthen its defence against terrorism, he said this was necessary keeping in mind the growing instability around the country.
The situation concerning left-wing extremism was better in 2011 than in 2010 but there was still a “long way to go”, the prime minister said.
Referring to the controversial proposal of setting up a National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Singh said he would discuss the issue with the chief ministers May 5.
Union home minister P. Chidambaram, who spoke before the prime minister, described left-wing extremism as the most formidable security challenge facing the country.