Finance Ministry officials defend CEA's appointment

NEW DELHI: As BJP leader Subramanian Swamy went after his new target Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, Finance Ministry today defended his appointment, saying it knew of his stance on key issues like IPR before hand.

Government had taken a considered view when it appointed the former IMF economist as CEA, sources in the ministry said.

The Finance Ministry knew of his stance on key issues like Intellectural Property Rights (IPR) before choosing him, they said adding the ministry was not giving credence to Swamy's remarks on Subrmanian.

After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Swamy has now trained his guns on the CEA, demanding his sacking.

Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016

"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!," he tweeted.

Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports of Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief.

The BJP government had in October, 2014 appointed IIM-Ahmedabad allumnus Subramanian as CEA in the Finance Ministry.