BJP ally Chirag Paswan promises to raise lateral entry issue with Centre: ’Quota must in govt appointments’

Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday opposed any move to make appointments in government positions without following reservations. He asserted that he would raise the lateral entry issue with the Centre.

Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president, reacted over the recent advertisement by the government to fill posts through lateral entry on a contract basis. The Opposition alleged that the move snatches away reservations for the disadvantaged communities.

Meanwhile, Paswan, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said, “My party and I firmly believe that any government appointment should adhere to the provisions of reservation...”

"No reservation exists in the private sector. So, reservations must be kept in mind during any government appointments, at any post...," Paswan said. He added, "There is no ifs and buts in this. "

"The fact that this has not been implemented in this [lateral entry] is a matter of concern for us too...My party completely disagrees with this," he added.

What's the lateral entry issue?

Last Saturday, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) advertised 45 posts – 0 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 was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

Opposition parties slammed the move, claiming it would snatch reservations from SCs, STs and OBCs. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP-led NDA government of destroying the Constitution with a ‘distorted version of Ram Rajya.’ He reiterated the allegation that the lateral entry was an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis.

The BJP hit back, stating the NDA government was bringing transparency to this mode of recruitment started by the Congress-led UPA. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw 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".