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.

--IANS

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