Mamata to meet PM; NCTC thrashing on agenda?

New Delhi, Feb 22: With the issue of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) grabbing eyeballs recently and irking as many as seven Chief Ministers in the process following fears that it might curb the state's powers, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is all set to arrive in Delhi to make matters clear with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Mamata will attend a meeting with the PM and the NCTC matter is expected to be discussed. The meeting becomes important as Mamata's Trinamool Congress is a key ally and have been continuously caught in the wrong side of the UPA government. She had also written a letter to the PM citing her disagreement over the move to set up the NCTC. She is expected to meet the PM at 5:30pm on Wednesday.

Ahead of this crucial meeting, the PM will meet the state government's who are opposed to the idea. Manmohan Singh has already written to the 7 states culling their fears that the powers of the states will not be compromised when the NCTC is being set up. He stated in the letter that the government had no intention to alter the federal structure enshrined in the Constitution. He claimed that the NCTC will only be a co-ordination hub.

Apart from the burning NCTC matter, Mamata will also initiate discussion on the Farakka Barrage and the Gorkhaland issue. She said, "I sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue of GTA and the problem arising out of excess flow of water to Bangladesh through the broken sluice gates on Farakka barrage. I will discuss these issues with him on Wednesday."

It is being alleged that the Centre hid the fact that the two sluice gates on the Farakka Barrage was damaged leading to Bangladesh getting 82,801 cusecs of water as against 35,000 cusecs it was entitled to get during the dry season.

On the Gorkhaland issue, Mamata added that the tripartite agreement on Gorkhaland Territorial Administration had already been signed, but the implementation of the same is delayed. She stated, "Why should there be delay? I will seek PM's intervention."

OneIndia News