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

New Delhi: With the Centre withdrawing the latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the Congress will protect the Constitution and the reservation system at all costs and foil "conspiracies" of the BJP.

His 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.

"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," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

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

On August 17, the UPSC 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.

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

In his letter, Singh said that for the prime minister, reservation in public employment is "a cornerstone of our social justice framework aimed at addressing historical injustices and promoting inclusivity".