While the Narendra Modi-led BJP government is being targeted by opposition parties for its attempts to clear legal hurdles in the appointment of former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman Nripendra Mishra as Modi's principal secretary, NCP has deciding against opposing the move.
"We will not oppose it," NCP chief and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said in Mumbai on Saturday. Pawar said it was not as if he (Mishra) was taking up employment with private telecom companies. He also called for caution in the Centre's decision to hike the FDI cap in the defence manufacturing sector to 49% from 26%.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill tabled in Parliament is to replace an ordinance issued on May 28 to change a clause in the Trai Act which would have prevented Mishra from taking up the government post after retirement. Before the ordinance was promulgated, the Act prohibited its chairman and members from taking up a job in central or state governments or any commercial appointment after they ceased to hold office.
Congress has opposed the "unholy haste" and made its intentions clear to oppose the legislation. However, Pawar's position indicates differences of opinion in the Congress-led UPA.
Pawar pointed out that in the past, TKA Nair, an IAS officer from the Punjab cadre had become the principal secretary to then premier Manmohan Singh, and NN Vohra too had taken up this position after he superannuated.
"More caution is needed. There are many departments where entry of outsiders must be restricted and there are some where their entry... has no problems. Some rationale is needed,"said Pawar, who was the defence minister during the erstwhile PV Narasimha Rao government, on the decision to raise the FDI cap in defence.
He stressed that for the economy to get into recovery mode, investment, especially in the infrastructure sector was important. "There is no problem in 49% FDI in basic infrastructure. The question is about investment in the defence sector... (which is) a sensitive industry," he reiterated.
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