Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of Undermining Reservations with Lateral Entry
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has intensified criticism of the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) recent move to recruit 45 joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries through lateral entry. Gandhi has labeled this initiative as an attack on Dalits, OBCs, and adivasis, and accused the BJP of attempting to undermine reservations for ‘bahujans.’
The Congress party has condemned the BJP’s decision, arguing that the appointment of specialists from the private sector in government positions threatens established reservation policies. Gandhi expressed his concerns on social media, stating, “Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs, and adivasis.” He further claimed that the BJP’s actions reflect a distorted vision of Ram Rajya aimed at eroding the Constitution and stripping away reservation rights.
In response, government sources have highlighted that the concept of lateral entry was originally introduced during the Congress-led UPA regime and was endorsed by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in 2005. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has accused the Congress of hypocrisy, asserting that the current BJP-led NDA government has merely refined and implemented a transparent process for this concept.
Earlier, Gandhi described the recruitment strategy as an “anti-national step,” alleging it blatantly undermines reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. He criticized the move as a step towards the privatization of the IAS and a guarantee to end reservation benefits. The INDIA bloc has vowed to oppose what Gandhi describes as an attack on both administrative integrity and social justice.
