Headlines
Congress, BJP spar over change of foreign secretary
New Delhi, Jan 29
The Congress Thursday
questioned the abrupt replacement of foreign secretary Sujatha Singh
before the ending of her tenure and demanded that the government explain
the reasons for the change -- but the ruling BJP retorted it was well
within the government's rights to decide on appointments.
Congress
leader Manish Tewari wondered if the decision was a belated result of
the stern stand taken by Sujatha Singh on the Devyani Khobragade issue.
"Foreign
secretary is head of the foreign service... before you start
gerrymandering with seniority and fixed tenure, you need to very
categorically explain as to what is the reason for doing so," Tewari
told IANS.
"The decision, coming as it does two days after the US
president's visit... is there a linkage between the stand which Sujatha
Singh took on the Devyani matter and this a belated retribution," he
asked.
"After all, if the government was unhappy with the former
foreign secretary, then they could have asked her to go earlier. Or did
something happen during the US president's visit...
"If not, is
there a linkage between the unceremonious sacking and the Devyani issue.
Everyone is aware there are a lot of disgruntled people because the
former foreign secretary took a calibrated position to protect a young
officer prosecuted by the US authorities," he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, said it was the government's prerogative to decide on appointments.
"I
don't see any reason for the hue and cry. A government is within its
rights to decide how it would like to appoint what officers and with
what responsibilities. And this is not the first time... Preceding
governments have taken (such) decisions," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli
said.
Tewari, however, asserted that an explanation was needed.
"It
may be the government's right to decide, but if the government decides
to curtail a fixed tenure, it must provide an explanation," he said.
Sujatha
Singh assumed office in August 2013 and was due to retire in August
this year. She was the country's third woman foreign secretary.
The
appointments committee of the Cabinet, in a decision Wednesday, decided
to "curtail the tenure" of Sujatha Singh "with immediate effect" and
replace her with S. Jaishankar, currently the ambassador to the US. he
took over Thursday.
Kohli, meanwhile, said there is no political motive behind the appointment.
"I do not see any reason that anyone can attribute any political motives. This is the right of the government," he said.
"The
Congress party spokesperson can try to do politics or anything. In any
case, it does not appear that they are inspired by their leadership.
That's why their constant method seems to be trying to raise a hue and
cry on issues also where there is no scope to do so," he said.