Key post for Rijiju’s kin upsets bureaucrats in Arunachal Pradesh

In what is claimed to be a clear violation of a PMO edict that ministers keep their family members away from matters of governance, a close relative of Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiu has been given a key post at Raj Bhavan in Arunachal Pradesh, now under President’s Rule.

Sources told this newspaper state officials were extremely unhappy over Mr Jorma Beda’s appointment as secretary to Arunachal governor J.P. Rajkhowa soon after Central rule was imposed, and the fact that he now appears to be calling the shots in the administration.

Mr Beda, who also holds additional charge of tourism as well as the political department, is a sibling of Mr Rijiju’s wife. State officials claim he seems to have more power than the advisers to the governor, who function as ministers when a state is under President’s Rule.

It may be recalled one of the advisers, retired IPS officer Y.S. Dadwal, had recently resigned, citing personal reasons.

The Congress plans to raise this issue in Parliament when it meets for the Budget Session. It is hoping to grill Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue when the Budget Session starts on February 23.