'Hypocrisy': After Rahul Gandhi's Lateral Entry Tirade, BJP's Comeback Takes A Page From History
On Saturday, Gandhi alleged that the reservations for SC, ST, and OBC categories are being "openly snatched away" through lateral entry into key positions.
Arpit Pattnaik
The BJP has criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks about the Modi government's lateral entry recruitment system in bureaucracy, accusing him of spreading misinformation. On Saturday, Gandhi alleged that the reservation for SC, ST, and OBC categories is being "openly snatched away" through lateral entry into key positions across central government ministries. The Congress leader stated in a post on X that "Narendra Modi is attacking the Constitution by recruiting public servants through the 'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh' instead of the Union Public Service Commission."
https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1825086755424305584
"In response, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accused the Congress of hypocrisy, pointing out that the concept of lateral entry was developed under the Congress-led UPA government. He stated, "The hypocrisy of the INC is evident on the matter of lateral entry. It was the UPA government that developed the concept of lateral entry. The second Admin Reforms Commission (ARC) was established in 2005 under the UPA government, with Shri Veerappa Moily chairing it," he said in a post on X on Saturday."
https://x.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1825221158721257860
Vaishnaw claimed that the BJP-led NDA government has established a transparent method for implementing this process. "Recruitment will be carried out through UPSC in a transparent and fair manner. This reform will enhance governance," the Union minister stressed.
Amit Malviya, a senior BJP leader, responded to Gandhi's post by pointing out that the Congress previously hired lateral entrants "without any process," in contrast to the current system that follows established guidelines. "ad-hocism, the government of India has now ensured that lateral entries are made based on established guidelines so that there is no impact on the quota and reservation system," he asserted.
Malviya also referenced official memorandums from 2016, 2019, and 2020, which mandate adherence to reservation policies and roster maintenance for SC, ST, OBC, and persons with disabilities. He also cited a 2020 Union Home Ministry memorandum emphasizing strict compliance with these reservation guidelines for lateral entries.
On Saturday, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) issued an advertisement inviting applications from "talented and motivated Indian nationals" for lateral recruitment to the positions of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary across 24 Union government ministries.
The notification indicated that the government aims to fill 45 domain expert roles, including 10 positions at the rank of Joint Secretary and the remaining roles as Directors or Deputy Secretaries. These positions are available in various ministries, such as Finance, Electronics, Agriculture, Environment, and Renewable Energy.
