Power of Constitution can defeat 'dictatorial regime's arrogance': Congress on lateral entry U-turn

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday claimed that the Centre's move to withdraw the advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy was due to the campaign by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties, and said this shows that only the power of the Constitution can defeat the "arrogance of a dictatorial regime".

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.

The remarks came after Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman Preeti Sudan and asked her to cancel the advertisement so that marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services.

Reacting to the development, 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." "Modi government's letter on lateral entry shows that only the power of the Constitution can defeat the arrogance of a dictatorial regime," the Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X.

He said it was due to the campaign run by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties, that the government has taken a step back.

"But as long as the BJP-RSS are in power, it will keep adopting new tactics to snatch away reservation. We all have to be careful," Kharge said.

"Whether it is the long term capital gain/Indexation attack on the middle class in the budget, or referring the Waqf Bill to JPC, or putting the Broadcast Bill on the back-burner -- the power of the people and the opposition is saving the country from the Modi government," he said.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "We will protect the Constitution and the reservation system at all costs. We will foil the BJP's conspiracies like that of 'lateral entry' at any cost."

"I am saying it again - by removing the 50 per cent reservation cap, we will ensure social justice on the basis of caste census," the former Congress chief said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh tagged Singh's letter and said on X, "A letter from a Union Minister working under a non-biological PM to a Constitutional authority without a date. What pathetic governance this is."

"Even so, this is clearly the impact of the criticism of the Leaders of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and others," he said in another post.

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said his party welcomes the government's directive to withdraw the lateral entry advertisement under pressure from the opposition and NDA allies.

"We also want to advise the prime minister that time has come to listen to Mann ki Baat of the country. The country communicates its 'Mann Ki Baat' through the opposition and through your allies...Listen to us. It should become your habit, you are in a coalition government, and should take decisions by taking allies into confidence so that you don't have to take it back," Khera said in a video statement.

Reacting to the development, 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 (including those from the private sector) in government departments.

The decision had ignited criticism from opposition parties, which claimed it undermined the reservation rights of OBCs, SCs and STs.

The government's move also comes after BJP ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan voiced concern over making any appointments in government posts without providing reservation. The political row over lateral entry escalated, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging it was an "attack" on the Dalits, OBCs and adivasis.

Upping the ante over the lateral entry issue, the Congress on Monday had accused the BJP of "snatching reservation" and handing out posts meant for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWS to people of the RSS.

Congress president Kharge had 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.

Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the government's move of recruiting public servants through lateral entry was an "attack" on Dalits, OBCs and adivasis. He had accused the BJP of seeking to snatch reservations from 'bahujans'.