Rajya Sabha Chair M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday removed Parasaram Pattabhi Kesava Ramacharyulu as Rajya Sabha secretary-general just two months after the official had become the first Upper House “insider” to be elevated to the post.
Retired Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer P.C. Mody, former head of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, replaces Ramacharyulu, who has been appointed adviser to the Rajya Sabha secretariat where he has spent 40 years. Mody is said to be close to the ruling dispensation.
While the Lower House has had nine secretaries-general from the Lok Sabha secretariat, all the 11 who had held the post in the Rajya Sabha before Ramacharyulu were from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), retired or serving. Mody is the first IRS officer to be appointed to the post.
No explanation has been provided, even unofficially, for the sudden change that stands out particularly because much was made in September of a Rajya Sabha insider making it to secretary-general for the first time.
Sources underlined that Ramacharyulu’s September appointment carried the proviso “till further orders” while Mody has been appointed to “the rank and status of Cabinet Secretary till August 10, 2022, or until further orders whichever is earlier”.
Naidu’s term as Vice-President of India and Rajya Sabha Chair too ends in August 2022.
Opposition MPs were quick to question the change. Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “Not surprised at all. Dr. P.P.K. Ramacharyulu is a thorough professional, non-partisan and perfectly qualified for the post — three deadly sins in the Modi regime.”
Manoj Jha of the RJD told The Telegraph that he agreed with Ramesh. Asked whether he knew of any incident that could have triggered the change, Jha said he did not. He underlined that the House had not been in session since Ramacharyulu’s appointment as secretary-general.
Jha tweeted: “There is more to ‘it’ than what meets the ‘eye’….”
