Congress launches counter-offensive on NCTC issue

New Delhi: Congress on Friday sought to turn the table on Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and others on the NCTC issue pointing out that some of them were part of the NDA which had passed the controversial POTA in 2002.

"If we recall and rewind, there were several partners in the NDA government when draconian laws were passed. A lot of these people were associated when these draconian laws were framed," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters.

Her comments came a day after Mamata Banerjee shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding "review and withdrawal" of the order on the organisation, function, power and duties of the newly-constituted National Counter Terrorism Centre.

In her letter to the Prime Minister that was issued by Odisha Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik's office in Bhubaneshwar, Banerjee expressed concern over alleged infringement of federal rights of states.

Both Trinamool and BJD were in NDA in 2002.

Patnaik, who had also written to the Prime Minister against NCTC earlier dubbed the order to give more powers to NCTC as "draconian".