Rahul Gandhi slams Modi govt over UPSC lateral entry, calls it ‘robbery of rights’: ‘Prime example SEBI...’

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the UPSC lateral entry job notification to fill 45 posts in different ministries of central government. Congress leader took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that PM Modi was favouring recruits with affiliations to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“Narendra Modi is attacking the Constitution by recruiting public servants through 'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh' instead of Union Public Service Commission.” Gandhi wrote in Hindi.

‘Prime Example SEBI’

Rahul Gandhi also reiterated his Adani-Modi conflation jibe. Gandhi said that PM Modi was hiring ‘representatives of a few corporates’ in ‘top positions’ of the government of India. He said, “A prime example of what representatives of a few corporates will do by occupying key government positions is SEBI”.

Rahul Gandhi was referring to the latest salvo by US-based short seller firm Hindenburg Research that claimed that SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch has ‘bought stakes in obscure offshore funds’ used in ‘Adani money siphoning scandal’.

‘Robbery of Rights’

Rahul Gandhi claimed that PM Modi's latest move of lateral entry into top position of ministries in Indian Government is ‘robbery of rights’ from SC, ST and OBC categories.

"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 wrote in Hindi on X.

“I have always said that the underprivileged are not represented in all the top positions in the country, including the top bureaucracy. Instead of improving this, they are being pushed further away from top positions through lateral entry.” Rahul Gandhi added.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge earlier described the move as a "deliberate attempt" to sideline SC, ST, and OBC communities from crucial government roles.

UPSC announces 45 lateral entry posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday announced recruitment to 45 posts -- 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors/deputy secretaries -- to be filled through the lateral entry mode on contract basis.

The vacancies in different ministries/departments with headquarters at New Delhi, are to be filled on contract basis for a period of three years (extendable to five years depending upon performance) through website https://www.upsconline.nic.in by September 17.

These posts are usually manned by the officers of all-India services -- the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) -- and other Group A services, among others.