Ordinance for Nripendra Misra's appointment as PM's Principal Secretary smacks of impropriety: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today attacked BJP over the "urgency" of bringing in an ordinance for the appointment of former TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra as the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, saying the move smacks of "impropriety".

Senior party leader Manish Tewari questioned "the urgency of bringing in an ordinance for his appointment when Parliament was scheduled to meet on June 2."

"Now with Parliament scheduled to meet on June 2, there was no immediacy which necessitated that the ordinance route should be taken," he said.

"The BJP had been very critical. Now, just because they have a majority in Parliament, they have decided to adopt a process which for the lack of better words is on borders of impropriety," Tewari said.

Misra was yesterday appointed as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister after the Government promulgated an Ordinance to amend the TRAI Act that could have prevented him from getting the key post.

The TRAI Act prohibits its Chairman and members from taking up any other job in the central or state governments after demitting office.

To circumvent this section which would have barred Misra from taking up the assignment of Principal Secretary to PM, the Modi government promulgated an ordinance amending it.

Congress general secretary and Chairman of AICC Communication Department Ajay Maken has also questioned the move, saying "The same BJP had opposed Congress when we had brought food security and anti-corruption measures through ordinance."

Maken, however, yesterday said that they have nothing to say against the officer concerned, who has an honest and upright image.