NCTC: Non-Congress CMs to form panel

BIJAPUR: Commenting on the contentious issue of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said that non-Congress chief ministers will form a committee to decide on opposing the threat to federalism from the Centre.He addressed the media at Inchageri village, near here, on Tuesday that the opposition to the imposition of NCTC from state governments is widespread.“The Centre has failed to take the state governments — who will bear the brunt in the eventuality of a terrorist attack — into confidence. The issue must be discussed threadbare with the states on the financial and manpower aspects,” he detailed.Adding that the states are not against measures to tackle terror, he said that the imposition of NCTC does not bode well for the federal structure that the country has adopted.Meanwhile, the CM said that the state Cabinet expansion will take place soon. “The entire government is busy tackling drought... the burden of 19 portfolios on me is making things difficult,” Gowda said. The chief minister also added that the expansion would comprise shuffling in various government departments as well.