New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS): The Centre’s decision to withdraw the contentious lateral entry proposal into various ministries and government departments has been welcomed by BJP’s key allies including Lok Janshakti Party, Hindustan Awami Morcha as well as Janata Dal (United).
LJP chief Chirag Paswan speaking to the press, shared happiness and also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for listening and addressing the ‘pain’ of backward classes.
“We thank the Prime Minister for taking back the partisan proposal and making course corrections for the benefit of all communities including the backward and marginalised classes. This shows PM Modi’s firm belief in ensuring principles of social justice,” Paswan told media persons.
He also said that his party lodged a protest against the lateral entry program on the grounds that since previous governments didn’t give weightage to the reservation, it didn’t mean that we should also follow the same precedent.
HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi welcomed the rollback order and said that this was a step in the right direction and also credited the Prime Minister for the move.
“PM Modi has rightly taken note of the public sentiment and ordered the cancellation of UPSC advertisement.”
He however added that this is not the first instance, there is a long precedent of hiring lateral entrants. Even during the Jawahar Lal Nehru tenure, eminent people were hired laterally but there was never a hue and cry. Also, they never made any effort to include the deprived and marginalised in the system, he said.
“We thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he promptly addressed the grievances of people regarding reservations and made amends for the same,” he added.
Earlier in the day, JD(U) also raised its opposition to the proposal and cautioned against playing into the hands of Opposition as the latter will paint the move as ‘anti-quota’, especially in light of the fact that the INDIA bloc gained mileage over NDA in the ‘war of narratives’ in recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
“Opposition will develop a fake agenda over lateral entry, and Rahul Gandhi will become the champion of the marginalised class. We must not give them a handle to do the same,” said a JD(U) spokesperson.