The CBI was in for some harsh words today when former Governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi said the central probe agency had gained notoriety as "government's hatchet" and "Department of Dirty Tricks" which was clothed in "opacity" with perfume of "mystery". Gandhi, who was CBI's guest speaker, minced no words while batting for bringing the agency within the purview of Right to Information Act (RTI) and making it "spectacularly" and not "sensationally" autonomous.

"It is seen as government's hatchet, rather than honesty's ally. It is often called DDT -- meaning not the dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane, the colourless, tasteless, odourless insecticide it should be, but the Department of Dirty Trick"," he said at the function where the entire CBI rank and file led by its Director Ranjit Sinha were present.

Referring to the issue of corruption, 69-year-old Gandhi, who is at present Chairman of Indian Institute of Advance Studies (IIAS), said CBI has a "mixed" image, not all of which was "flattering", and it will have to "change".

He said the "RTI-trained" public will expect, prod and make the CBI an "instrument of change". "The CBI is clothed in opacity, then ornamented by secrecy and finally perfumed by mystery."