Lateral entry attack on Dalits, OBCs, adivasis: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Upping the ante over the lateral entry issue, the Congress on Monday accused the BJP of "snatching reserveration" and handing out posts meant for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWS to people of the RSS.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that while his party-led government had brought in lateral entry to appoint select specialists and experts in some sector-specific posts as per their utility, the Modi government has made provision for it to "snatch the rights" of Dalits, tribals and backward classes.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government's move of recruiting public servants through lateral entry was an attack on Dalits, OBCs and adivasis. He accused the BJP of seeking to snatch reservations from 'bahujans'.
The Congress has strongly criticised the government after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday issued a notification for recruiting 45 joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries through lateral entry -- referred to as the appointment of specialists (including those from the private sector) in government departments.
"Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and adivasis," Gandhi said on X.
"The BJP's distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from bahujans," the former Congress chief said.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "Why is the provision of lateral entry by the Modi government an attack on the Constitution? Instead of filling jobs in government departments, the BJP has eliminated 5.1 lakh posts in the last 10 years by selling the share of Government of India in PSUs alone."
Casual and contractual recruitment has increased by 91 per cent, he claimed. Posts for SCs, STs, and OBCs decreased by 1.3 lakh by 2022-23, he alleged.
"We had brought lateral entry to appoint select specialists and experts in some sector-specific posts as per their utility. But the Modi government has made provision of lateral entry not to appoint experts in the government but to snatch the rights of Dalits, tribals and backward classes," Kharge said.
"SC, ST, OBC, EWS posts will now be given to people of the RSS. This is BJP's 'Chakravyuh' to change the Constitution by snatching reservation," the Congress president alleged.
Government sources have said the concept of lateral entry was first introduced under the Congress-led UPA regime and was strongly endorsed by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission established by it in 2005.
Also, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the Congress' criticism of the lateral entry system in senior bureaucracy shows its "hypocrisy", and asserted the BJP-led NDA government has created a transparent method to implement the concept developed by the UPA dispensation.
In a post in Hindi on X on Sunday, Gandhi had termed the government's move of recruiting public servants through lateral entry an "anti-national step", alleging that the reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs is being "openly snatched away" by such an action.
"Reservation of SC, ST and OBC classes is being openly snatched away by recruiting through lateral entry on important posts in various ministries of the central government," Gandhi had said.
The INDIA bloc will strongly oppose this "anti-national step" that hurts both the administrative structure and social justice, Gandhi had said.
"Privatisation of the IAS is Modi's guarantee for ending reservation," he had said.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
