The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recently launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the UPSC lateral entry scheme, which was introduced and then canceled by the Central government. Senior AAP leader and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that the BJP wants to abolish the Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar and the country’s reservation system.
On Wednesday, Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Harbhajan Singh ETO, and Lalchand Kataruchak, along with AAP leader Pawan Kumar Tinu, addressed the media at a press conference held at the Chandigarh party office. AAP leaders claimed that for several years, the BJP has been persistently trying to eliminate reservations by any means.
Harpal Cheema stated that the Modi government’s decision to cancel the lateral entry scheme is merely a facade. He argued that the BJP withdrew the decision due to concerns about potential losses in the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra. Cheema asserted that the central government had already made appointments to more than 63 IAS-level posts through lateral entry, bypassing reservation rules. The government intended to make 45 more appointments in the same manner but had to cancel it under pressure.
Earlier, the central government abolished reservation for many posts, such as sweepers and peons working in government departments through outsourcing. Additionally, reservation has been removed from numerous outsourced recruitments. Now, the government aims to undermine the rights of Dalits, backward classes, and tribals by eliminating reservation for important posts like IAS.
Cheema also linked the Central Government’s decision to privatize government companies with its stance on reservation. He said that over the past ten years, the Modi government has privatized more than 30 government companies in sectors including petroleum, banking, and insurance, with the intent to eliminate reservation. Their goal, he argued, is to suppress Dalits and the underprivileged. Cheema further questioned the quota for backward classes in teacher recruitment in the BJP-ruled state of Uttar Pradesh and the numerous vacant posts for Dalits, backward classes, and tribals in universities.
BJP is systematically attacking the reservation system – Harbhajan Singh ETO
AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party is systematically attacking the reservation system in the country with a well-thought-out strategy. He accused the BJP of continuously working to undermine the constitutional rights of the underprivileged, but vowed that they would fight against these efforts and prevent any tampering with the constitution and reservation system.
He criticized the BJP’s approach, claiming that every BJP law aims to alter the constitution and eliminate the rights and benefits afforded to the poor. He noted that during the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP claimed they would secure over 400 seats. He confidently asserted that if they had reached 300 seats, they would have already begun the process of abolishing the constitution. However, the people limited them to 240 seats.
He explained that the recruitment for the post was supposed to be done through UPSC, which requires adherence to reservation policies. He highlighted that in the initial 63 appointments, SC-ST individuals were excluded. Now, an attempt was made to fill 45 more positions through lateral entry. Protests from the public and the India Alliance forced the government to retract this decision, although he believes the BJP has no intention of permanently abandoning it.
Central government has been working against Dalits since 2014 – Lalchand Kataruchakk
Minister Lalchand Kataruchak said that the BJP and Modi government have been working against Dalits and the reservation system since coming to power at the Centre in 2014. He noted that in 2018, there was an attempt to undermine Dalit rights, but mass protests led to the government enacting a law to address it. Now, he claimed, there has been another attempt to undermine the positions of Scheduled Castes through lateral entry. He urged the central government to refrain from such actions and instead work towards achieving equality for Dalit society in accordance with the Constitution.
Government jobs are crucial for social equality, and the BJP government is undermining them – Pawan Kumar Tinu
AAP leader Pawan Kumar Tinu stated that the BJP and RSS have always been opposed to Dalit reservation and the Constitution. He explained that the framers of the Constitution sought to promote equality in society by providing reservation in government jobs, which helps people become economically self-reliant. However, he claimed that the BJP is persistently working to eliminate reservation in government jobs. He added that this effort is not limited to the central government but also extends to BJP-ruled state governments. According to Tinu, the BJP does not want to end discrimination or achieve equality in society.
