JOIN USFor CVC mess, PM blames Chavan
Maintaining that the “responsibility” (for preparing the faulty Department of Personnel and Training note) was that of the MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office, Singh, however, said he was “accountable” and takes full “responsibility for the error of judgment”.
“I was aware of the pending court case only when the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha raised the issue at the meeting,” Singh informed the Rajya Sabha.
“But since he was appointed as the Chief Secretary of Kerala and a secretary to the Union government, I thought all issues related to vigilance clearance must have been looked into by the Department of Personnel and Training,” he said.
The Prime Minister, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Leader of the Opposition in the Sushma Swaraj on September 3, 2010, held talks on the issue during which Swaraj gave a dissenting note on the appointment.
Singh said he did not have any clue on the pending charge sheet related to the import of palmolin oil and notwithstanding Swaraj’s dissent, decided to go ahead with the appointment because vigilance issues were taken into account when Thomas was chosen as a secretary in the Union telecommunication department.
“It was an error of judgment on which I take full responsibility. The government will take into consideration the guidelines and directions given by the court while appointing a new CVC,” Singh said.
The BJP and the CPM did not press the Prime Minister further but immediately after the Singh made his statement, Arun Jaitley and Sitarm Yechury wanted to know what action would be taken against the person, held accountable for the mistake.
Chavan points finger at Kerala govt
Mumbai, dhns: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday defended himself by saying that everything was done as per the due process. Chavan, who was Minister of State in the PMO and incharge of department of personnel, public grievances and pensions, told reporters in Pune on Tuesday that the department had shortlisted two serving and one retired official for the post of CVC and forwarded their names to the selection committee.
“The vigilance clearance (for Thomas) was done by the state... When that officer is made the chief secretary, or later secretary in the central government,” Chavan said, putting blame for vigilance clearance for Thomas on the Kerala government. “Everything was done as per the due process of law,” Chavan, who is now under fire from the opposition, asserted.