Rahul Gandhi Cries Foul Over Centre's Lateral Entry Ad For UPSC: 'Candidates Linked To RSS...'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has vociferously slammed the NDA government's recent initiative to recruit specialists through lateral entry into top government positions.

He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of undermining the Constitution by bypassing the traditional recruitment process through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Photo Credit: PTI

Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, claimed that the Modi government was favoring candidates with affiliations to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Gandhi expressed concern about the impact of this policy on the representation of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in top bureaucratic positions.

He warned that "reservation for SC, ST, and OBC categories is being openly snatched away by recruiting through lateral entry on important posts in various ministries of the central government."

Gandhi added that this approach would further marginalise underprivileged communities and deprive talented youth preparing for civil services exams of their rightful opportunities.

The government's latest push for lateral entry involves 45 specialists being appointed to key positions such as joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries across various central ministries.

Traditionally, these posts have been filled by officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFoS), and other Group A services. However, the government, through the UPSC, has advertised these posts to be filled on a contractual basis, arguing that this move will bring fresh talent and specialized knowledge into governance.

Gandhi linked this policy to the recent controversies surrounding the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where Madhabi Puri Buch, a private sector appointee, faces allegations of conflicts of interest.

He described the lateral entry system as a "robbery of the rights of talented youth" and an attack on social justice.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also condemned the move, calling it a "deliberate attempt" to sideline SC, ST, and OBC communities from crucial government roles.

Kharge accused the BJP of conducting a "double attack on reservation," asserting that the recruitment process is designed to exclude marginalized communities from accessing these positions.

The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have also criticized the government's decision, with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav warning of an agitation on this issue starting October 2.

They termed the BJP's move as a "conspiracy" to appoint its ideological allies to high posts through the back door.