Pawan Khera questions success of lateral entry scheme under NDA

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday questioned the success of the BJP-led Central government's scheme of lateral entry into bureaucracy in 2016, 2017, and 2018, which was implemented based on the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission.

"It was a recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission. I want to know, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented those recommendations in 2016, 2017, and 2018, was it successful? Was the first round of lateral entry initiated by the Prime Minister successful? We want to know," Khera said.

His remarks followed the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Modi government's proposal to induct professionals with domain expertise into various ministries at the ranks of Joint Secretary, Director, and other senior positions, which he likened to the "privatisation of the IAS."

In response to Rahul Gandhi's criticism, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the lateral entry recommendation was originally introduced by the UPA government. Khera, however, argued that the UPA's recommendations were not mandatory.

"You have been in power for the last decade. What the UPA had presented were recommendations. Recommendatory in nature, not mandatory. What changes did you bring to those recommendations?" Khera asked.

He also questioned the diversity of the selected candidates, asking, "Out of the 52 officers selected in the first round, how many were Dalits, Adivasis, or OBCs?"

The Congress leader also addressed Union Minister Giriraj Singh's recent statement that West Bengal would become another Bangladesh if Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not resign.

He countered by suggesting that PM Modi should resign first, citing the rise in atrocities against women, including rape cases, over the past decade.

Commenting on the distress of the Kolkata rape-murder victim's parents, who expressed their loss of faith in CM Mamata Banerjee, Pawan Khera stated, "They are victims and very disheartened at the moment. It is our responsibility not to bother them much during these hard times. And we hope that justice is served."

Regarding West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose's statement that the state is not safe for women, he refrained from commenting directly on the Governor, saying, "The Governor also has many allegations against him, so I would not like to say anything on his remarks."

Pawan Khera also criticised the BJP over the Karnataka Governor's recent decision to permit an investigation into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, calling such actions in opposition-ruled states "unconstitutional."

"We have been seeing that the Governors use their position as puppets of the BJP. In all the states where opposition parties are in power, we see examples of such unconstitutional actions by the Governors," he asserted.

Reacting to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the Waqf Board, the Congress leader welcomed the discussion, stating, "It's good that the meeting is being held because you cannot amend the law without a proper discussion."

Pawan Khera also talked about the recent buzz of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren's departure from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), noting, "For some, personal ambitions are more important than the party's ideology. Everyone thinks differently."

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