Private sector officials as bureaucrats is ploy to appoint RSS members in key positions: NCP

The Modi government said the aim was to bring in new ideas and approach in governance

Criticising the Centre’s plan to hire private sector professionals as bureaucrats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday said the move is an attempt to give away important government posts to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members.

Nawab Malik, chief spokesperson of the NCP, said RSS people are not capable of clearing UPSC examinations. (HT File)

The Modi government plans to appoint private sector professionals, who are above 40 years of age and have an experience of at least 15 years, as joint secretaries in government departments and ministries on contractual basis. The Centre said the aim was to bring in new ideas and approach in governance.

“Appointing people in administrative services on contract basis is an attempt to get RSS members in ministries. RSS wants to rob the country, but their people are not capable of clearing UPSC examinations. So the government has come up with this way to make it happen,” said party spokesperson Nawab Malik.

He said contractual-basis appointments for joint secretary-level posts would be illegal. “Article 312 of the Constitution states the government can’t recruit people without framing rules, which also need a nod from the Lok Sabha. This [the move] is unfair on backward classes, as their reserved seats in government jobs will reduce of seats is going to be reduced. In addition, such officers won’t fall in the category of government officers, and laws such as anti-corruption and others would not be applicable against them,” Malik said.