LC Goyal shunted out, Mehrishi is new Home Secy

L C Goyal was appointed Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).

“The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of L C Goyal (1979 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer) as Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation,” an official statement said. Miffed over the abrupt transfer, Goyal has sought an early retirement, 17 months ahead of schedule, for personal reasons which <g data-gr-id="47">was</g> approved by the government.

The easing out of Goyal is being attributed to the ‘tough’ stand he had taken vis-a-vis corporate houses <g data-gr-id="43">specially</g> the Maran <g data-gr-id="35">family owned</g> Sun TV. “His rigidity was creating anti-investment sentiments,” a source from <g data-gr-id="42">government</g> said.

Nevertheless, the unceremonious exit of another senior officer, the other being the case of Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, has created turmoil in the bureaucracy. She was replaced by S Jaishankar, who was then India’s ambassador to the US. Goyal’s predecessor Anil Goswami was also asked to quit midway during his tenure when his name figured in a controversy over trying to go easy on  Congress politician-businessman Matang Singh in an ongoing CBI probe.

Mehrishi, a 1978 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan-cadre, was Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry. He was due to retire on <g data-gr-id="40">Monday</g> but his new assignment comes with a two two-year tenure. He served as a Chief Secretary in Rajasthan and is reportedly in the good books of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Sources <g data-gr-id="55">said,</g> Goyal was not kept in the loop while the government worked out the Naga accord. It was also speculated that the news on Chief Ministers not being taken into confidence on the accord - was leaked from his office, which angered union home minister Rajnath Singh and Modi himself. The PMO was cut up over  media reports which claimed that the home ministry was not even provided with a copy of the peace accord.

Though Naga talks interlocutor R N Ravi did brief Home Minister Rajnath Singh and home secretary LC Goyal on the Naga accord explaining that it was only a “framework” to proceed with further negotiations on the terms of a final ‘accord’ this did little to dispel confusion within the home ministry brass on the “agreed way forward”.  Goyal was also upset with the fact that, the MHA proposal to ban NSCN (K) - a Naga Militant group that killed 18 soldiers this year in an ambush in Chandel District of Manipur - hadn’t been accepted.

Goyal refused security clearance to Sun TV, the massive south Indian broadcasting conglomerate owned by the controversial Maran brothers, accused of money laundering and corruption. Without a security permit, Sun TV cannot operate. Though some within and outside the government criticized the Home Ministry’s decision, Goyal did not review it.

Also, the government was unhappy with his action, or lack of it, against activist Teesta Setalvad for funding violations and his “no control” over the joint secretaries.

“With his removal, the government has sent out a clear message to all bureaucrats that they should not cross the line, which put the government in an uncomfortable situation,” said a source. A government statement claimed that Goyal’s request for voluntary retirement – citing personal reasons - has been approved by the Prime Minister.