We will protect Constitution, reservation at all costs: Rahul Gandhi after govt’s lateral entry U-turn

20 Aug 2024 Evaluate

After the Centre withdrew its latest advertisement for lateral entry into bureaucracy, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi asserted that the Congress will protect the Constitution and the reservation system at all costs and foil ‘conspiracies’ of the BJP. 

Rahul Gandhi’s comment came after Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote a letter to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Preeti Sudan asking her to cancel the advertisement so that marginalised communities can get their proper representation in government services. The former Congress chief further said, ‘I am saying it again - by removing the 50 per cent reservation cap, we will ensure social justice based on caste census’. 

Reacting to the development, Mallikarjun Kharge said, ‘Long live the Constitution! The Congress party's fight for social justice for our Dalits, tribals, backward and weaker sections has foiled the BJP's plans to snatch away reservation.’ Kharge said it was due to the campaign run by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and INDIA bloc parties, that the government has taken a step back. After the government's move on the matter, Congress MP and whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said, ‘2024 has given us two outcomes: a weak Prime Minister and a strong People's Leader of the Opposition. In the end, it's a victory for our Constitution.’

The UPSC had on August 17 issued a notification for recruiting 45 joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries through lateral entry referred to as appointment of specialists in government departments. The decision had ignited criticism from opposition parties, which claimed it undermined the reservation rights of OBCs, SCs and STs.


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