BJP ally Chirag slams lateral entry of bureaucrats, says will raise matter with Centre

At a time when the central government is facing intense criticism from the Opposition for its decision to recruit 45 bureaucrats through lateral entry, Chirag Paswan, BJP’s ally at the Centre has also slammed the move, calling it “completely wrong”.

Chirag, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has said that his party doesn’t support the Centre’s decision of making the appointments by bypassing reservation and said he would raise the issue with the government. Chirag is the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in the Narendra Modi cabinet.

His reaction came over the recent advertisement by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to fill posts through lateral entry on a contract basis that the opposition has alleged snatches away reservations for the disadvantaged communities.

‘No ifs and buts on reservation’

"Reservation provisions must be there in any government appointment. There is no ifs and buts in this. No reservation exists in the private sector and if it is not implemented in government positions as well... The information came up before me on Sunday and it is a matter of concern for me," he told PTI.

Chirag said as a member of the government, he has the platform to raise the issue and he would. The Union minister also said that as far as his party is concerned, it is absolutely not in support of such a measure.

Conspiracy to appoint ideological allies, says Oppn

The UPSC last Saturday advertised 45 posts – 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors/deputy secretaries – to be filled through the lateral entry mode on a contract basis. It is the biggest tranche of lateral recruitment being undertaken by the Centre, an official said.

Opposition parties slammed the move, claiming it would snatch reservations from SCs, STs and OBCs. The BJP hit back, stating the NDA government was bringing transparency to this mode of recruitment started by the Congress-led UPA.

The Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also alleged that it was a "conspiracy" by the BJP to appoint its ideological allies to high posts through the back door.

Centre’s rebuttal

However, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the Congress' criticism of the lateral entry system in senior bureaucracy shows its "hypocrisy".

In a post on X, Vaishnaw said the reform measure implemented by the NDA government will improve governance. "INC (Indian National Congress) hypocrisy is evident on lateral entry matter. It was the UPA government which developed the concept of lateral entry," he said.

He said the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), chaired by Veerappa Moily and established in 2005 by the then Congress-led UPA government, "recommended recruitment of experts to fill the gaps in roles that require specialised knowledge".

The minister said the NDA government has created a transparent method to implement the recommendation made by the ARC.

(With inputs from agencies)