We are completely against reservation not being considered in this: Chirag Paswan on UPSC lateral recruitment scheme
Patna: Reacting to the UPSC lateral recruitment scheme, Union Minister Chirag Paswan said that his party did not agree with how these posts had been advertised as reservations had not been taken into consideration. Paswan, whose party has five MPs said his party was completely against this.
"The first thing is that the government's thinking is completely in support of reservation. The Prime Minister's thinking is in support of reservation. My party and I do not agree with how direct recruitment for some posts has been demanded, in which reservation has not been taken into consideration, we are completely against this. Being a part of the government, we have also registered this concern on the appropriate platform of the government," Chirag Paswan said,
He further said that wherever there are government appointments, the provisions of reservation must be followed.
He further said, "In the coming days too, we will raise a strong voice on this. Wherever there are government appointments, the provisions of reservation must be followed. The way reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs have been going on in government jobs, it is mandatory to keep it in mind in every appointment and if it is not kept, which we have also seen today, then the government will definitely take appropriate action for this."
Paswan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's thinking is not against the reservation.
"A few days ago when the Supreme Court ruled in favour of allowing states to sub-classify SCs and STs then PM Modi had clarified that the provisions of reservations created by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar would continue in the same way," he said.
Paswan's stand will come as a fillip to the opposition that has attacked the lateral entry scheme for not having reservations. On Monday, leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack against the move saying that it is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis.
Taking to social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis. BJP's distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans."
UPSC recently invited applications for 45 mid-level posts including joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries through lateral entry. Several opposition parties have opposed the decision.
