Narayanan questions methodology of CBI chief's selection

Kolkata:Former NSA M.K. Narayanan on Tuesday expressed concern over the "internal dissension at the highest level of an institution like CBI" and questioned the way the agency chief was being selected now.

Responding to a query on the credibility of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narayanan said: "Internal dissension at the highest level of an institution like the CBI is a matter of concern."

Narayanan, who was participating at an interactive session organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, however, said dissension at the top level of the CBI was not a new phenomenon but earlier such issues used to be decided primarily by the bureaucracy itself.

Narayanan questioned the present methodology of selecting the CBI chief.

CBI Director Alok Verma was unceremoniously removed from the post after a 2-1 decision by the high-level Selection Committee, a decision that came under attack from the opposition and legal experts.

According to Narayanan, selection of the CBI Director should be "decided within the system, not by people outside".

On China, he said: "China should be our main concern. One country which does pose danger to us is China.

"China wants you off the main table, does not want you on the same table," he said.

Asked about the Raffle deal controversy, he said, " There is no doubt of the fact that the Prime Minister did not follow all the procedures that were expected..the opposition is blaming the Prime Minister for not following the guidelines. This is more of a political issue rather than for us to comment on that."

In any case, once you have to buy any defence equipment in sizeable quantity, there are certain procedures to be followed, he said.

"I think that is the main charge that is being levelled against the Prime Minister. Whether that amounts to corruption, I do not know," he said.

Narayanan, who had served as West Bengal Governor during 2010 to 2014, saw both the Left Front as well as Trinamool Congress government in the state.

Responding to a query on how Trinamool Congress Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is emerging as national leader, he said, "Amongst leaders today, she is probably better suited than many others."