HRD Ministry brings Shukla back in ICHR

The HRD Ministry has brought back P.K. Shukla as the acting member secretary of the Indian Council of Historical Relations (ICHR) within eight months of former HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi throwing him out.

Shukla was appointed the acting member-secretary today within two months of the office falling vacant, following the removal of the last incumbent, Kapil Kumar. Kumar was Joshi’s appointee and had replaced Shukla towards the end of last year. The decision to appoint Kumar was fought tooth and nail by the then ICHR chairman M.G.S. Narayanan.

Till now, the ministry had not fulfilled most of the Left demands regarding ICHR, including removal of the current chairman. The ministry has also filled two vacancies in the council with the appointment of historians Rajat Kanta Ray and K.N. Panicker.