http://www.indianexpress.com/news/punia-is-new-ncsc-chairman/697450/
Punia is new NCSC chairman
Express News Service Posted online: Thu Oct 14 2010, 06:05 hrs
Lucknow : UP Chief Minister Mayawati's bete noire P L Punia has been
appointed chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
The post had been lying vacant since Buta Singh's term ended five
months ago.
A retired IAS officer and now a Congress MP, Punia confirmed that he
has received a communication from the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Wednesday,
appointing him the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled
Castes "from the date I take charge". He said he will take the charge
on October 15.
As an IAS officer, Punia had served Mayawati thrice as her principal
secretary and was one of her trusted officers. Relations between them
turned sour during the investigation of the Taj Heritage Corridor case
by the CBI.
After his retirement in 2005, Punia joined the Congress and contested
the Assembly elections from Fatehpur in 2007, but Mayawati put in all
efforts to ensure his defeat. However, in the Lok Sabha elections held
last year, Punia had the last laugh when he was elected from Barabanki
with a record margin. Rahul Gandhi himself had addressed a rally in
Barabanki.
Punia's appointment as chairman of the Commission is part of the
Congress strategy to make him the Dalit face of the party to counter
Mayawati who has openly criticised him in her public speeches and had
even called him "a traitor".
The post is equivalent in rank to a cabinet minister. None of the
Congress ministers from UP, including those who have been in the party
for decades, enjoys the cabinet rank. Punia said his priority in UP
would be to examine the utilisation of funds under the special
component plan, which is meant for the welfare of Dalits.
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
No comments:
Post a Comment