New Delhi:
A shake-up in one of the top posts of the government has generated criticism and speculation that the move reportedly sanctioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not run past his number two in the cabinet, Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
On Monday, Rajiv Mehrishi took over as Union Home Secretary, hours before he was to retire. He replaced LC Goyal, who was appointed just seven months ago.
Mr Mehrishi was not Rajnath Singh's choice, sources close to the minister have told NDTV.
Mr Goyal had not been getting along with his minister for some time, say sources. Mr Singh wanted him replaced and ended up with Mr Mehrishi.
The 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer was reportedly handpicked by PM Modi. He has been credited with key reforms in Rajasthan as Vasundhara Raje's chief secretary. He was brought in from Rajasthan last October as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's right-hand man, to steer the Department of Economic Affairs, which is at the heart of the government's economic policies.
His new post makes him the Centre's lynch-pin and chief fire fighter for matters involving counter-terrorism, Maoism, the security policy of Foreign Direct Investment, Centre-state relations, the appointment of Governors, border management and disaster management, among other things.
The post of home secretary has a fixed tenure of two years, but incumbent LC Goyal's exit came much sooner amid reports of a running feud within.
Mr Goyal said he chose to retire. "For personal reasons, I didn't want to continue. It was my own decision," he told NDTV.
Mr Goyal had reportedly clashed with a junior officer - Additional Secretary A K Singh - who is considered very close to the home minister. He changed the work allocation of additional secretaries, including that of AK Singh, and allegedly used his discretion on some issues which allegedly didn't go down very well with the minister.
Mr Goyal's inability to device "imaginative solutions" for difficult situations also allegedly went against him.
On Monday, Rajiv Mehrishi took over as Union Home Secretary, hours before he was to retire. He replaced LC Goyal, who was appointed just seven months ago.
Mr Mehrishi was not Rajnath Singh's choice, sources close to the minister have told NDTV.
Mr Goyal had not been getting along with his minister for some time, say sources. Mr Singh wanted him replaced and ended up with Mr Mehrishi.
The 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer was reportedly handpicked by PM Modi. He has been credited with key reforms in Rajasthan as Vasundhara Raje's chief secretary. He was brought in from Rajasthan last October as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's right-hand man, to steer the Department of Economic Affairs, which is at the heart of the government's economic policies.
His new post makes him the Centre's lynch-pin and chief fire fighter for matters involving counter-terrorism, Maoism, the security policy of Foreign Direct Investment, Centre-state relations, the appointment of Governors, border management and disaster management, among other things.
The post of home secretary has a fixed tenure of two years, but incumbent LC Goyal's exit came much sooner amid reports of a running feud within.
Mr Goyal said he chose to retire. "For personal reasons, I didn't want to continue. It was my own decision," he told NDTV.
Mr Goyal had reportedly clashed with a junior officer - Additional Secretary A K Singh - who is considered very close to the home minister. He changed the work allocation of additional secretaries, including that of AK Singh, and allegedly used his discretion on some issues which allegedly didn't go down very well with the minister.
Mr Goyal's inability to device "imaginative solutions" for difficult situations also allegedly went against him.
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