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| Kundal eats humble pie | | Swearing-in put off, confusion over new CS prevails | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 2
With the political and bureaucratic circles sealing their lips enigmatically and confusion looming large over the scheme of things, the top IAS officer Balwant Rai Kundal had to eat a humble pie as his scheduled oath taking ceremony was deferred at the last minute.
BR Kundal, who was the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary till Friday was supposed to be inducted in the Ghulam Nabi Azad cabinet this afternoon. Despite all preparations having been put in place the swearing-in ceremony to held at the Raj Bhawan lawns was put off at the last minute. So was the case with the cabinet meeting scheduled for earlier this morning.
Top sources in the government and at Raj Bhawan refused to divulge any details though it is learnt that the proposed move ran into a political controversy. Interestingly, the only reaction available on the issue was that of Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Mufti told reporters here today that the Cabinet should have been taken into confidence on such important matter.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who was away in New Delhi to attend a seminar on terrorism was supposed to return to Srinagar on Sunday evening. However, last minute developments prolonged the stay of the Chief Minister and he was able to return to the winter capital only this evening. On his arrival in Srinagar, the Chief Minister drove to the Raj Bhawan and briefed the Governor SK Sinha on the latest development, sources told the EARLY TIMES.
While the Congress leaders and officers in bureaucracy preferred to maintain silence on the issue, sources said that the move to induct BR Kundal into the cabinet had run into rough weather. While the Peoples Democratic Party raised a banner of revolt and shot off letters of protest to the Congress high command, even the state Congress leaders were not happy with the decision to induct a bureaucrat in cabinet on seeking his premature retirement.
It is reliably learnt that the PDP leaders questioned the decision of inducting Kundal into cabinet without taking the coalition partner into confidence. “Even invitation letters had been issued for swearing in of Mr Kundal but matter was never discussed with us”, a senior Minister from the PDP told the EARLY TIMES.
Though it was being said today that the clearance of resignation of BR Kundal was awaited from the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, but this plea could not hold good. It may be mentioned here that on Saturday BR Kundal had gone on record telling media persons that he obtained clearance from the Government of India as he had applied for the premature retirement some four months back.
Meanwhile confusion prevailed in the civil secretariat today on the post of Chief Secretary. It was said on Saturday that SS Kapur will take over as the next Chief Secretary but due to non-availability of the Chief Minister in the capital the cabinet could not meet and no decision to this effect could be taken. The PDP leaders have objected on this issue as well. They said that how a Chief Secretary has been named without bringing the matter before the Cabinet.
Kundal did not attend his civil secretariat office today. |
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