Voices of protest have also started rising within the BJP-led NDA over the issue of appointment to government posts through lateral entry. Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who is part of the NDA alliance, has criticized any such move for appointments. He said on Monday that he would raise the issue before the Center. Chirag said, ‘There should be a provision for reservation in any government appointment. There is no ifs and buts in this. There is no reservation in the private sector and if it is not implemented in government posts as well. This information came to me on Sunday and it is a matter of concern for me.’
Chirag Paswan said that as a member of the government, he has the platform to raise this issue and he will do so. The Union Minister said that as far as his party is concerned, it is not in support of such a move at all. This reaction of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president has come at a time when recently the central government announced the appointment of 45 experts in various central ministries through lateral entry. These appointments are to be made on contract basis on key posts like Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary.
Why is there opposition to recruitment through lateral entry
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday advertised for 45 posts, including 10 Joint Secretary and 35 Director/Deputy Secretary posts. These posts are to be filled through lateral entry on contract basis. Actually, usually officers of All India Services – Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFOS) and other Group A services are posted on such posts. Regarding this, the opposition alleges that this move to recruit public servants through lateral entry is an anti-national step. With such action, the reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes is being openly snatched away.
Congress is already on the offensive on this issue
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge targeted the Central Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party over recruitment through lateral entry. He claimed that this is the BJP’s Chakravyuh to change the Constitution by snatching away reservation. Kharge posted on the social media platform X, ‘Why is the Modi government’s provision of lateral entry an attack on the Constitution? Instead of filling vacancies in government departments, the BJP has abolished 5.1 lakh posts in the last 10 years by selling the parts of the Government of India in public sector undertakings alone. There has been a 91 percent increase in contractual recruitment. SC, ST, OBC posts have decreased by 1.3 lakh by 2022-23.’
(With agency input)