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Asserting that counter-terrorism is a shared responsibility, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday said the centre and state governments have to work together to make the country more safe, more secure with each others help. Addressing chief ministers at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) meet here, Chidambaram said: "I am confident we can make the country more safe, more secure with each others help." Chidambaram explained the need to implement NCTC, saying that the terrorists will not differentiate between the state and the centre boundaries. "No one has questioned the validity of the act. After the horrific attack on Mumbai on November 26, 2008, there was a demand to strengthen the laws. All political parties joined together and unanimously passed the legislation," he added. Chidambaram also blamed the states for not taking action despite information. 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.

Counter-terrorism is a shared responsibility: Chidambaram