India's external intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is facing a crisis. Seven high ranking RAW officials have gone on a mass protest leave, after an IPS officer superseded them.
With reports of Chinese incursions in the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
stifling Mumbai terror attack investigation, Maoists stoking anti-India sentiments in Nepal, India seems to be facing trouble from all neighboring countries.
However, India's External Intelligence Agency, the RAW is busy fighting its own internal battles. At a time when the country needs intelligence to keep itself secure, seven additional secretary rank officials have gone on mass protest leave.
The mass leave is to protest the promotion of IPS officer Avdesh Mathur as special secretary. The seven officers are from the Research and Analysis Service (RAS). There is constant tension between RAS and IPS officers in RAW. The present RAW chief is also from IPS. RAS cadres fear that the next chief will also be from IPS.
“I would only say that sometimes it's in the news for all the wrong reasons. And sometimes there is an attempt to belittle the RAW. I think I was an outsider there and I served two years there. I think it's a very fine organisation and there is nothing wrong with it,” said former raw chief, A S Dulat.
Sources say the government is shocked by this revolt. A rattled Cabinet Secretariat has issued an urgent order to hold a Departmental Promotional Committee (DPC) process by next week itself to review the case of the seven officials.
However, for the extremely secretive and highly disciplined agency, a public row over promotions will certainly hits its credibility and effectiveness, both inside and outside the country.
