Bikaner. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claim that the government was trying to bypass the reservation system through ‘lateral entry’. Meghwal reminded the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was made Finance Secretary in 1976 through ‘lateral entry’.
The minister also termed Gandhi’s allegation that this is the way RSS men will be appointed as civil servants as ‘baseless’. Meghwal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the ‘lateral entry’ system systematic by giving the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) the power to make rules. He said that earlier in the regime there was no formal system for such entry.
He told PTI in Bikaner, “Whatever appointment or recruitment or selection has to be done, UPSC will do it. Where is the issue of BJP, RSS in this? Baseless allegations are being made.” Meghwal said that RSS is an organization that promotes cultural nationalism.
The minister alleged that Gandhi is trying to mislead people by spreading lies and tarnish the image of institutions like UPSC. He said that Rahul Gandhi is making such false allegations and he will never succeed in his efforts.
Meghwal said that despite holding the constitutional post of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Gandhi is making irresponsible statements. The minister said, “Dr. Manmohan Singh was also a part of ‘lateral entry’. How did you make him Finance Secretary directly in 1976?” He said that the then Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had joined the service through ‘lateral entry’.
Meghwal said that Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi was made the head of the National Advisory Council (NAC). He quipped, “The post of Prime Minister is constitutional. Is NAC a constitutional institution?” He said that Sonia Gandhi was placed above the Prime Minister.
Meghwal said these are contractual posts. He said, “Suppose an environmental expert becomes a deputy secretary, what is the problem in that…the person should be an expert in a particular field.” He said that ‘lateral entry’ is open to all.
Meghwal said, “People from SC, ST and OBC categories also apply. IAS vacancies are different. They claim that we are ending reservation. What were you doing when you were recruiting? Suddenly their love for OBCs has come to the fore. They are trying to mislead SC, ST, OBC students.”
Condemning the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata, he said the whole country is ashamed. Meghwal said, “After the incident, efforts were made to destroy evidence. This is a very shameful incident and we strongly condemn it.” Later, Meghwal, MP from Bikaner, reached the BSF post at Khanuwali on the Indo-Pak border and celebrated the festival of Rakshabandhan with women BSF personnel.
Tags: IAS exam, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC)
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 19, 2024, 23:03 IST
