Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday strongly criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the government was bypassing the reservation system through lateral entry, reminding him that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was appointed as Finance Secretary in 1976 via lateral entry.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, Meghwal dismissed them as “baseless” and clarified that the system of lateral entry has been formalized under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) being given the mandate to frame rules for such appointments. Meghwal emphasized that the process is transparent and does not involve favoritism towards any political or ideological group, including the RSS.
“Whatever appointments or recruitments or selections are to be done, UPSC will do it. Where is the issue of BJP, RSS in this? Baseless allegations are being made,” Meghwal stated in an interview with PTI in Bikaner. He further defended the RSS, describing it as an organization promoting cultural nationalism.
The minister accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to mislead the public and tarnish institutions like UPSC by spreading misinformation. He expressed disappointment that Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha—a constitutional position—was making what he termed “irresponsible statements.”
Highlighting historical instances of lateral entry, Meghwal pointed out that Manmohan Singh’s entry into government service as Finance Secretary and Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission were also done through lateral entry. He also mentioned Sonia Gandhi’s appointment as the head of the National Advisory Council (NAC), questioning its constitutional basis.
“You started lateral entry. Prime Minister Modi made it methodical,” Meghwal asserted, noting that the current system of lateral entry is inclusive and open to all, including candidates from SC, ST, and OBC categories. He dismissed the allegations of undermining reservations and accused the Congress of attempting to mislead marginalized communities.
In a separate statement, Meghwal condemned the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata, calling it a “shameful incident” and expressing outrage at attempts to destroy evidence related to the case.
Following his remarks, Meghwal, who represents Bikaner in Parliament, visited a Border Security Force (BSF) outpost in Khanuwali, near the Indo-Pakistan border, to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with women BSF personnel.
