The recruitment of 45 bureaucrats via the lateral entry route has not gone down well with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's ally, Chirag Paswan. The union minister said his party wasn't in favour of the government's decision.
Chirag Paswan said his party had always been in favour of reservation to backward classes and castes and the government's move was “completely wrong”. He said he would raise the matter with the BJP-led government.
"My party's stance on such appointments is absolutely clear. Wherever there are government appointments, the provisions of reservation must be followed. The way this information has come to light is also a matter of concern for me because I am a part of this government and have the platform to raise these issues. Speaking on behalf of my party, we are absolutely not in favor of this. This is completely wrong, and I will raise this matter before the government," he said.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday issued a notification for the recruitment of 45 joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries through lateral entry.
{{/usCountry}}The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday issued a notification for the recruitment of 45 joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries through lateral entry.
{{/usCountry}}The Opposition said the decision undermined the reservation rights of OBCs, SCs and STs.
Centre vs Opposition over lateral entry
Meanwhile, government sources told ANI that the concept of lateral entry was first introduced under the Congress-led UPA regime and strongly endorsed by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission established by it in 2005.
The government has historically inducted outside talent into its higher tiers, typically in advisory roles but occasionally even in key administrative assignments, they said.
For instance, the chief economic advisor is traditionally a lateral entrant who, according to the rules, must be below 45 years of age and is invariably an eminent economist, they said.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Congress' criticism of the lateral entry system in senior bureaucracy shows its "hypocrisy".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge admitted that his party's government had introduced the lateral entry system to appoint experts. However, he said, the Narendra Modi government has made it a tool to snatch the rights of Dalits, tribals and backward classes.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the government's move of recruiting public servants through lateral entry was an attack on Dalits, OBCs and adivasis. He said the "BJP's distorted version of Ram Rajya" seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch away reservations from "Bahujans".
With inputs from PTI, ANI