A war of words has emerged between the Government and Opposition Congress party over the promulgation of an Ordinance to appoint former TRAI Nripendra Misra as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the Centre on Thursday downplayed the promulgation of Ordinance, the Congress questioned such an “urgent” move and also pointed how the BJP had raked up the issue of couple of Ordinances during the UPA regime.
“There is no issue at all... There is no controversy at all... My friends in the opposition do not have any other issue to rake up,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. Naidu was responding when referred to the questions raised by Congress over the Ordinance route taken by the Modi government to appoint Misra as the earlier TRAI Act would have barred him from taking up the key post. Contending that the earlier law had a “lacuna”, Naidu said Misra was appointed on the basis of his competence and track record. He said the ordinance promulgated will be given the shape of a bill before Parliament in stipulated time. The TRAI Act of 1997 prohibits its Chairman and members from taking up any job in the central or State Governments after demitting office.