BJP ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan has strongly criticized any initiative for government appointments that go against the principles of reservation. He stated there are no ifs or buts about it. He emphasized the necessity of such provisions in government jobs. He mentioned that he would raise this issue before the central government.
Chirag Paswan's statement comes at a time when opposition parties have been attacking the central government over lateral entry in UPSC. The opposition alleges that such provisions are an attempt to take away reservations meant for backward classes.
What did Union Minister Chirag Paswan say?
Chirag Paswan said, "Provisions for reservation should exist in any government appointment. There is no doubt about it. The private sector does not have reservations, and if it is not applied to government positions... This information came to my notice on Sunday and it's a matter of concern for me."
Also Read: 'Privatization of IAS Guarantees End of Reservations...', Rahul Gandhi Reacts to UPSC Lateral Entry
Chirag Paswan mentioned that as a member of the government, he has a platform to raise this issue and he will. He also stated that as far as his party is concerned, it absolutely does not support such measures.
UPSC Announces Recruitment for 45 Positions
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently announced the recruitment of 45 positions through lateral entry on a contract basis. This includes 10 positions for Joint Secretaries and 35 for Directors or Deputy Secretaries. This move by the commission has faced strong opposition.
Opposition parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have accused the BJP of intentionally trying to abolish the reservation policy and appointing allies to important positions through such means.
Government Defends Lateral Entry System
In response to the criticisms, the BJP defended the lateral entry initiative, stating its aim is to increase transparency in recruitment processes initiated under the previous Congress-led UPA government.
Also Read: 'Reservation is being stolen...', Rahul Gandhi on Direct Recruitment through UPSC
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the Congress's opposition hypocritical and noted that the proposal for lateral entry was made by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission under the UPA. He said the NDA government is respecting and implementing these recommendations transparently to improve the quality of governance.
