Sujatha's removal: War of words between Cong, BJP

A political war of words erupted today over the sudden removal of Sujatha Singh as Foreign Secretary, with Congress asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explain the "summary" decision while BJP defended it as the right of the government.
National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, meanwhile, welcomed the appointment of S Jaishankar as Foreign Secretary, calling it an "excellent" decision.
"The sudden and summary removal of the seniormost woman foreign service official by Modi government raises serious questions on its intent and administrative mechanism it is following," Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said.
He noted that the development has come on the heels of similar summary terminations of SPG chief, DRDO chief and IIM Director.

"It puts a serious question mark on the administrative consistency and efficacy of actions of the Prime Minister," Surjewala said,
Contending that the action was "without reason", he said the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj owe an explanation to the nation.

He said the development was more serious as it had come after "supposedly successful" visit of US President Barack Obama here.
Surjewala's party colleague and former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari sought to link the action to the episode involving an IFS officer who was jailed in the US two years back for allegedly mistreating her maid.

He tweeted: "Is sacking of Foreign Secretary late retribution for her stand on Devyani Khobragade affair? Removal after a Presidential visit 'coincidental'?
Government last night decided to replace Singh curtailing her tenure due to end in August and appointed Jaishankar, Ambassador to the US, in her place.
Defending the decision, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli said the government had acted well within its right to decide on appointment of officers and denied any political motive.
He said it was not an unprecedented action as Congress governments have also done the similar things.