Union Minister Chirag Paswan.
Credit: PTI photo
New Delhi: NDA ally and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) President Chirag Paswan on Monday echoed the concerns of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc when he said that the government’s proposed lateral entry into the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is “completely wrong”. He added that he will raise the issue before the government.
Another NDA ally, Hindustani Awam Morcha’s Jitan Ram Manjhi also seemed unhappy with the development and said that he will discuss the matter with the government.
Asserting that all governments should support reservation provisions, he emphasised that this development is a matter of concern.
The government, late last week, issued an advertisement, calling out for applications to as many as 45 senior positions in the central government. “There are no ifs and buts in this. No reservation exists in the private sector and if it is not implemented in government positions as well. The information came up before me on Sunday and it is a matter of concern for me,” Paswan told reporters.
He added that his party was opposed to the move. “As a member of the government, I have the platform to raise the issue and I will”, he added.
Manjhi said that the move is not part of any grand design by the government. “There is no grand design in this to snatch away reservations for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. If there is any talk of taking away reservations, then I am in the Cabinet and we will talk to the BJP,” he added.