"Will Protect Constitution": Rahul Gandhi on Withdrawal Of Lateral Entry Notification
Amid strong rage by the Congress against the lateral entry notification, the Union Government today asked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw its advertisement regarding recruitment notification.
Reacting to the development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted that the party will protect the Constitution and the reservation system at all costs. “We will foil conspiracies like BJP’s ‘lateral entry’ at any cost. I am saying it again,” the Congress leader said, adding that by breaking the 50% reservation limit, they will ensure social justice on the basis of caste count.
संविधान और आरक्षण व्यवस्था की हम हर कीमत पर रक्षा करेंगे।
भाजपा की ‘लेटरल एंट्री’ जैसी साजिशों को हम हर हाल में नाकाम कर के दिखाएंगे।
मैं एक बार फिर कह रहा हूं – 50% आरक्षण सीमा को तोड़ कर हम जातिगत गिनती के आधार पर सामाजिक न्याय सुनिश्चित करेंगे।
जय हिन्द।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 20, 2024
Read Also: Centre Pulls Lateral Entry Ad Amid Backlash From Key Ally, Opposition
The UPSC last week advertised recruitment to fill vacancies for senior roles within the Union government. The roles included positions like Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary across 24 ministries, with 45 posts available through the lateral route. The Congress leaders, including President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, came out strongly opposing the decision, pointing out that the recruitment takes away reservation rights for the SC, ST, and OBC categories. The saffron party had also faced pressure from the NDA allies. Chirag Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) President and MP from Hajipur, also a member in the NDA, had slammed the government decision for lateral entry in key appointments.
Asking to withhold the notification, the letter addressed to the UPSC chairman conveyed that the Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must adhere to the principles of equity and social justice as stated in the Indian Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation.
Read Also: ‘Absolutely Not In Favor’: Chirag Paswan On Lateral Entry To UPSC
Union Minister Jitendra Singh had earlier told that the reservations are not applied to recruitment of lateral entrants as they are single-cadre appointments.
