A day after the Union government withdrew notifications calling for Lateral entries into the government services, BJP leader Amit Malviya said that the opposition was “needlessly excited” and claiming victory over the development. He categorically said that the notification has been “withdrawn, not cancelled” and added that a more specific notification is likely to follow. He emphasised that it will clearly state guidelines and incorporate social justice so that usual suspects can’t vitiate the environment.
In a post on X, the BJP Social media Head further stated that the Modi government is “revisualising the circular” in line with its commitment to delivering social Justice as well as keeping in view the representation received from industry and social groups.
The opposition is needlessly excited, claiming victory of sorts, just because the ‘Lateral Entry’ notification, issued by the UPSC, has been withdrawn. Few points:
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 21, 2024
a) The notification has been withdrawn, not cancelled. A more specific notification likely to follow, with clear…
In a lost post on X, Malviya also came down heavily on the Congress party for not following principles of social justice, and sidelining SCs, STs, and OBCs. He accused the grand old party stating that the Congress party brought lateral entrants into government service in an opaque manner, without any transparency. He added that such decisions were made as per the whims and fancies of a few selected leaders close to the family or from the family.
He compared the Modi government viz-a-viz previous Congress governments over the issue of Lateral entries brought during their respective times.
Malviya wrote, “Modi Govt wants to ensure that lateral entries through UPSC are done in a transparent, institutionalised manner, and are consistent with the principles of social justice and reservation…The Congress hates the transparency around Lateral entries. They prefer ad-hocism and opaqueness, compared to institutionalised processes…”
He further stated, “In 2018, Modi Govt institutionalized lateral entries through UPSC, removing the opaqueness in the process, and putting an end to ad-hoc entries into the system.”
Malviya also cited a few examples of lateral entrants during the Congress government, right from the time of Jawaharlal Nehru to the National Advisory Council during the UPA era. He highlighted that Nehru brought his sister, Vijay Laxmi Pandit as a lateral entrant and appointed her to key ambassadorial positions.
He slammed the Congress party for sidelining SCs, STs, and OBCs and not incorporating social justice when it appointed persons in the NAC.
Malviya said, “Even the National Advisory Council that played an active role in governance during the ten years of the UPA had several lateral entrants, but all those admissions were done without being inclusive towards SCs, STs, and OBCs. One of the members of the NAC was Jean Dreze, who was recently seen in Delhi, holding a pro-Palestine protest. Harsh Mander, the controversial former IAS officer, was also part of NAC. Similarly, other high-profile lateral entrants like Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Nandan Nilekani, and others were also taken in without a proper process…”
Citing the withdrawal of the Land Acquisition bill and the three farm laws, the BJP leader said that flexibility and sensitivity remain the key for the Modi government which is open to feedback. He also highlighted that several bills were sent to the Standing Committees for review before the Waqf Amendment Bill. He added that nothing has changed and the opposition can claim moral victory all they want but they will unlikely get an issue to agitate.
Congress systematically discriminated against SCs, STs, and OBCs by designating govt-aided institutions as minority institutions: Amit Malviya
Malviya lambasted the Congress party for systematically discriminating against the SCs, STs, and OBCs and denied them reservation benefits by designating many Govt aided institutions – like the Jamia Millia in 2011 or AMU since 1981 – as minority institutions.
He said, “By giving minority status to Jamia Milia Islamia in 2011, when UPA was in power, the Congress deprived thousands of deserving backward students of their Constitutional right to avail the benefit of reservation. In the case of AMU, the Congress under Indira Gandhi, in 1981, brought in a law to nullify SC’s verdict of 1968 to reinstate minority status to AMU.”
He added, “Therefore, the Congress has much to answer on reservations and empowerment of the socially marginalised communities.”
Lateral Entry notification row
On Tuesday (August 20), the central government took a U-turn two days after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) called applications for lateral entry into the government service.
The Centre sent a letter to the UPSC requesting the withdrawal of an advertisement that invited applications for lateral entry into 45 positions of joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries across 24 ministries on a contract basis. These positions were scheduled to be filled by September 17.
While several NDA partners had also opposed the notification calling for lateral entries into government services, the opposition parties, particularly Congress leaders projected it as their victory. After the Union government withdrew the ‘lateral entry’ notification, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that it was due to the campaign run by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress, and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties.
Nonetheless, BJP leader Amit Malviya has hinted that the opposition’s moral victory is shortlived as the government is working on “revisualizing the circular” and a more specific notification incorporating social justice is likely to follow soon.
