CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party Punjab General Secretary and Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Harchand Singh Barsat criticized the BJP government at the center over the lateral entry scheme, saying that the BJP wants to undermine the constitution of the country. He argued that their decisions are consistently against the constitution, pointing out that this recruitment ignored the reservation rights granted by the constitution, allowing the BJP to place their favorites in high government positions.
Barsat emphasized that Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the creator of the constitution, considered every section of society, but the power-hungry BJP is degrading the constitution, though the people will not forgive them.
He said that the central government had already filled more than 60 IAS-level posts through lateral entry, disregarding the constitution and reservation norms, and now intended to appoint 45 more people. However, this plan had to be canceled due to pressure from the opposition and the upcoming assembly elections in four states. Although the BJP withdrew the decision out of fear of defeat in the assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, the people have understood their intentions and will respond accordingly in the elections.
The state general secretary stated that if the proper appointment process is followed, officers earn their positions through multiple exams and years of experience. In contrast, the lateral entry process involves only a single interview. The central government has previously ignored reservation rules and made recruitments through lateral entry, and now there was an attempt to fill 45 more positions this way. However, the central government had to withdraw this decision. He urged the central government to abandon such unconstitutional practices for the betterment of the people.