New Delhi. Amidst the uproar over Maharashtra cadre trainee IAS Pooja Khedkar, Telangana cadre IAS officer Smita Sabharwal wrote something in a post on social media which has started a new controversy. Actually, Smita Sabharwal has raised questions on the disability quota in the UPSC examination. 2000 batch Telangana cadre IAS Smita Sabharwal wrote, as this debate is getting fiercer day by day. I have full respect for the disabled. But can an airline company appoint a disabled person as a pilot? Or can you trust a disabled surgeon?
As this debate is blowing up-
With all due respect to the Differently Abled.
Does an Airline hire a pilot with disability? Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability.the nature of the #AIS ( IAS/IPS/IFoS) is field-work, long taxing hours, listening first hand to…
— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) July 21, 2024
All India Service (AIS) IAS-IPS-IFS service involves field-work, working for long hours continuously, listening to people’s complaints directly and it is very important to be physically fit to do this work. Why is this quota needed in the first place for this important job?
This is such a pathetic and exclusionary view to have. Interesting to see how bureaucrats are showing their limited thoughts and their privilege too https://t.co/n2seGiI0qP
— Priyanka Chaturvedi?? (@priyankac19) July 21, 2024
Now IAS Smita is in the news for this post. Many people are making various comments on her post. Some people are getting angry at her and calling her anti-disabled. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also commented on Smita’s statement and wrote, this is a very pathetic and exclusionary view. It is interesting how bureaucrats are showing their limited views and their privileges. Replying to this, IAS Smita said that Madam, with all due respect, if bureaucrats will not talk about relevant issues of governance, then who will? My views are the result of the experience gained in a career of 24 years.
Should not be given.
— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) July 21, 2024
At the same time, a user named PR Reddy wrote in his comment that it is worth noting that there is a merit in this. Similarly, why should we give SC-ST-OBC reservation to the children of IAS-IPS-IFS-IFoS etc.? If we do not give them the benefit of reservation, other more qualified people will come into the services. There is a need to improve the reservation rules. To this, Smita replied that it should not be given at all.
