Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday said he had no reason to suspect the credentials of P.J. Thomas while recommending his name for the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) while he (Mr. Chavan) was Minister of State for Personnel and Training.
“The papers submitted to me did not have reference to any adverse vigilance status or pending case against P.J. Thomas. I, therefore, approved the file and the agenda of the meeting for selection of the CVC, which was circulated to members of the selection committee.”
Making a statement in the Assembly after persistent demands by the Opposition, which wanted him to resign on this issue, Mr. Chavan said he agreed to speak in the House though the matter was within the administrative domain of the Government of India. Mr. Thomas was made Kerala Chief Secretary and later appointed a Secretary at the Centre. There was no reason to believe that his vigilance status was in doubt.
Mr. Chavan said he shortlisted a panel of three names consisting of two retired secretaries and one serving secretary of the Central government for submission to the three-member committee for the selection of the CVC. The formal proposal consisting of the names of the three shortlisted officers was put up to him by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) along with the employee record of the officers.
Mr. Chavan said that after the Supreme Court took up the subject of the appointment of the CVC, he made inquiries about the vigilance clearance and he found that the CVC in 2007 had given a clean chit to Mr. Thomas. He submitted a copy of the CVC's letter to the DoPT dated June 25, 2007 to the Speaker.
He said that on October 17, 2008 when the Union government wrote to the Kerala government asking about the availability of Mr. Thomas for possible appointment as a Secretary to the Centre on deputation, the State, in a letter dated December 2, 2008, confirmed his availability. As a result, Mr. Thomas was appointed Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs and thereafter Secretary, Telecom. The Union Home Minister had also clarified that the then CVC had granted vigilance clearance to Mr. Thomas, Mr. Chavan said.
He said there was no attempt to mislead anyone and a judgment was made on the facts that were now presented before the House. The Supreme Court had pronounced a verdict in the matter. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stated in Parliament he had accepted the court verdict and that an error of judgment was made, Mr. Chavan said. After his statement, he expressed the hope that the matter would be allowed to rest.
However, the Opposition did not relent. Leader of the Opposition Eknath Khadse said a letter dated March 11, 2008 from the Kerala government to the DoPT clearly stated that Mr. Thomas had applied for the Central deputation some years ago but he was not considered because of a vigilance inquiry and the case was not yet finalised.
Mr. Khadse said when the Prime Minister had accepted that there was a mistake and even passed on the blame to Mr. Chavan, he (Mr. Chavan) should accept that he was at fault. “How is it that Mr. Chavan did not know of this letter from the Kerala government,” Mr. Khadse asked.
Subhash Desai (Shiv Sena) said the issue was very sensitive and the Chief Minister should clarify Speaker Dilip Walse Patil said the Chief Minister had given him all the papers and he was convinced about what he was saying and there was no need to continue the discussion.
