Opposition criticises Central government's push for lateral entry via UPSC
New Delhi: The decision by the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to recruit 45 positions of Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, and Director through lateral entry has sparked significant political controversy.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently issued a notification inviting applications for these positions across 24 central ministries.
Key opposition parties, including the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have strongly criticised this move.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the decision, labeling it a "double attack" on the reservation system. He accused the government of deliberately bypassing the reservation provisions for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) by filling these positions through lateral entry.
Former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, echoed similar sentiments, calling the decision a "dirty joke" on the Constitution and alleging that it undermines the rights of marginalized communities. He further urged people from these communities to recognize and oppose the government's alleged systematic efforts to dismantle the reservation system.
The UPSC's recruitment drive includes 10 Joint Secretary positions and 35 Director/Deputy Secretary positions across various ministries, such as Finance, Home Affairs, Agriculture, and Education.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
