Wake up! In name of Hindu...: Congress, RJD criticise Modi government's fresh lateral entry push

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government's recent move to recruit 45 senior-level officers through the lateral entry method has ignited a fierce political debate. Opposition parties, particularly Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have accused the government of undermining the reservation system designed to protect the interests of marginalized communities in India.

Congress alleges deliberate exclusion

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was among the first to voice strong opposition to the initiative. He claimed that the BJP-led government is intentionally bypassing the reservation system to sideline Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) from key government roles.

संविधान को तार-तार करती भाजपा ने किया आरक्षण पर डबल वार !

पहला, आज मोदी सरकार ने केंद्र में Joint Secretary, Directors and Deputy Secretary के कम से कम 45 पद Lateral Entry द्वारा भरने का विज्ञापन निकाला है। क्या इसमें SC,ST, OBC एवं EWS आरक्षण है?

सोची समझी साज़िश के तहत भाजपा…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 17, 2024

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kharge alleged, "The BJP, which has already torn apart the Constitution, is now making a double attack on reservation! Under a well-planned conspiracy, they are deliberately conducting such recruitments to exclude SC, ST, and OBC communities from their rightful share in government jobs."

RJD labels it as 'dirty joke'

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, a crucial ally of Congress in Bihar, echoed Kharge's sentiments. Yadav condemned the lateral entry process as a "dirty joke" on the reservation system and the Constitution crafted by Dr. B R Ambedkar. He emphasized that had these 45 posts been filled through the traditional civil services examination, a significant portion would have been reserved for SC, ST, and OBC candidates.

केंद्र की मोदी सरकार बाबा साहेब के लिखे संविधान और आरक्षण के साथ कैसा घिनौना मजाक एवं खिलवाड़ कर रही है, यह विज्ञापन उसकी एक छोटी सी बानगी है।

𝐔𝐏𝐒𝐂 ने लैटरल एंट्री के ज़रिए सीधे 𝟒𝟓 संयुक्त सचिव, उप-सचिव और निदेशक स्तर की नौकरियां निकाली है लेकिन इनमें आरक्षण का प्रावधान… pic.twitter.com/b2h2R0eiJ7

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 17, 2024

Yadav went further, accusing the government of denying these communities their rightful representation in governance. "In the last election, the Prime Minister and his allies in Bihar boasted that no one could take away the rights ensured by reservation. Yet, under their watch, the rights of the deprived and neglected sections are being systematically robbed," Yadav posted on X.

UPSC's lateral entry posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently advertised 45 positions to be filled through lateral entry, including 10 joint secretaries and 35 directors or deputy secretaries. These roles are typically occupied by officers from all-India services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The lateral entry initiative, introduced by the Modi government in 2018, aims to bring specialized talent from the private sector into the government to enhance administrative efficiency. However, the opposition views this recruitment method as a direct threat to the reservation system, which was established to address historical injustices and ensure social equity.