The BJP-led government at the Centre on Thursday made a member of the Shinde faction chairman of the crucial Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology.
Shiv Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav replaces his parliamentary colleague and Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor.
The MP, who until recently headed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development, told the Free Press Journal, “I will soon discuss with department secretaries the issues to be taken up at the next meeting, which is likely to take place on October 17 or 18. It is an important committee. I will work hard to do justice to the post.”
Mr Jadhav has been a member of Shiv Sena for more than three decades. He was an MLA from 1995 to 2009. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009, 2014 and 2019 from Buldhana.
Mr Jadhav’s appointment comes despite five members of the IT panel, including a BJP MP, writing a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla demanding that Mr Tharoor continue as chairman.
Mr Tharoor, who is now contesting the election for the post of All India Congress Committee president, had frequent disagreements with two BJP members of the panel, Mr Nishikant Dubey and Mr Rajyavardhan Rathore.
Mr Jadhav’s appointment comes at a time when the committee is working on a comprehensive report on data privacy and security.
On August 26 the panel heard the views of Twitter India on the subject of citizens’ data security and privacy and the views of individuals, stakeholders and experts on issues relating to digital platforms and technology. The committee also received a briefing from the representatives of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation on the subject.
