CBI director chosen in 'fair manner', says V Narayanasamy

With the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding annulment of the government's decision to appoint Ranjit Sinha as the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, minister of state for personnel V Narayanasamy today said his selection had been done "in a fair manner following the due process".

Speaking on the sidelines of a CBI function here, he said Sinha was the most senior officer among the three names suggested by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and so prime minister Manmohan Singh decided to appoint him.

"The prime minister in his wisdom considered Ranjit Sinha, being seniormost 1974 batch officer... the prime m0inister decided the name of Ranjit Sinha in a fair manner following the due process in which CVC recommended three names... Where is the question of unfairness in this," he asked.

Narayanasamy said the CVC had to finalise the names and recommended those of Ranjit Sinha, Sharad Sinha and Atul.

"Three names have been finalised, the prime minister is the authority to decide... As far as BJP is concerned, they are not behaving as a responsible opposition and are not allowing the house to function. They want either my way or no way. It is not possible in a democracy," he said.

Criticising the BJP for blocking the proceedings in Parliament, he said the people of the country had given a mandate to the UPA to rule the country but the BJP was not playing its "role of an opposition party".