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I recommended DRDO chief Avinash Chander's sacking; post should not be on contract basis: Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar says it was his recommendation that the DRDO chief's post should be held by a young person and not by someone who is on contract.

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A day after sacking chief of top defence research organisation Avinash Chander, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said it was his recommendation as he wanted the post to be held by someone younger.

Speaking to media, Manohar Parrikar said, “The tenure of the DRDO chief would normally have ended in November, but the previous Union Cabinet had approved a three-year extension to his term, with the additional years being on a contract basis.”

“I recommended that a person on contract should not be occupying such a senior position. This senior position should be filled by other eligible senior persons. There is no controversy here,” he added.

Parrikar further stated that at present, the vacant post will be filled by someone on a temporary basis till a permanent candidate is found.

“As of now the person to replace him has not been decided. We will fill the post temporarily by someone who has the urge for development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan said that Chander’s dismissal was the government’s decision.

The government’s decision has come 15 months before Chander’s contract was to end.

Meanwhile, Avinash Chander has refused to comment on the Narendra Modi led government’s decision to remove him as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "approved the termination" of the contract of Avinash Chander with effect from January 31, an official notification had said.

Interestingly, Chander who was Secretary, Defence Research and Development cum Director General, DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, had retired on November 30 last on attaining 64 years of age and he was given a contract for 18 months till May 31 next year.

The removal of Chander after being given a contract had raised questions over the Government action.

Chander joined DRDO in 1972 after completing graduation in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

Chander is the chief architect of Agni series of ballistic missile systems. Development of Agni range of missiles under a highly- restrictive international control regimes was possible only out of his technology forecast, perspective planning and relentless efforts, DRDO officials said.

(With agency input)

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