Happy homecoming: Home secretary had taken several initiatives in Home Ministry in his earlier innings

NEW DELHI: It is a happy homecoming for LC Goyal at the home ministry as several initiatives taken by the 59-year-old secretary in his earlier innings from 2002 to 2007 have not just been implemented but also are counted as successes. Officials close to him recall how Goyal as joint secretary in the ministry’s key internal security division, had created the base paper work for a central terror investigating agency after the country suffered a string of attacks by the Indian Mujahideen and right-wing terror groups in 2006-07. This was finally cleared as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2008 after the 26/11 attacks.

Goyal, a 1979 batch IAS of Kerala cadre, is also remembered as the first person in the ministry who realised the gravity of threat from Left-wing extremism and pushed then Home Minister Shivraj Patil to create a separate division headed by an IPS officer in the ministry in 2006 to deal with the issue. The bureaucrat is also said to have played a crucial role in the shift in 2004 from the anti-terror law POTA to its more humane version, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), in which he managed to retain some key counter-terror provisions.

“In the process, he also made a smooth transition amid the changing political dispensations – from (former home minister LK) Advani to Shivraj Patil,” an official said. Known among his colleagues as a straightforward but introvert officer who takes his time to warm up to the media, Goyal had very few words to offer while taking charge. “This post comes with great responsibility. I have earlier served here under LK Advani and Shivraj Patil,” Goyal said.

Home minister Rajnath Singh will now be looking to gain from Goyal’s expertise as a good coordinator in the field of counter-terrorism – especially his success in the past to liaison with the IB. Goyal has earlier dealt extensively with UN Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate to enhance India’s interaction with Western nations on terror, which will come in handy now as India is actively working on enhancing its counter-terrorism dialogue with the US. He is also said to have a good rapport with police personnel.