Congress today questioned the appointment of former TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking why the government adopted the Ordinance route in this regard.
Congress general secretary and Chairman of AICC Communication Department Ajay Maken, at the same time, made it clear that the party was not pointing at any demerit in the officer, hailing him as "honest and upright".
Misra was today appointed as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister after Government promulgated an Ordinance to amend a law 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.
"By bringing the Ordinance route, he has not only by-passed Parliament but he has also by-passed his own Cabinet using the emergency provisions. The same BJP had opposed Congress when we had brought food security and anti-corruption measures through ordinance," Maken said.
He also said that they have nothing to say against the officer concerned, who has an honest and upright image.
"What is surprising to us is the route which Modi and BJP government have chosen. That too not for any public welfare. BJP should not have followed it," Maken said.
