Law Minister’s Manmohan Singh Reference Amid Lateral Entry Row

Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has questioned the Opposition objections to lateral entry, saying it was present even during the time of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. And he had a point to make about the UPA’s two-time Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.

“They recruited whoever they wanted. They (the Congress) never had anything to say about that. It was there even in the time of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Even Manmohan Singh was inducted through lateral entry. How did he become finance secretary in 1976?” Mr Meghwal told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

The controversy over the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) advertisement for recruitment spiralling, with Opposition and NDA allies on the same page, the government yesterday requested the Commission to withdraw its advertisement.

In his letter to the UPSC chief, Union Minister Jitender Singh wrote that Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes the “move should be aligned with social justice”.

Explaining what the Opposition tagged the government’s U-turn and “defeat before PDA unity” , Mr Meghwal said BJP leaders from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes had met PM Modi to discuss the issue.

“Our leaders from Scheduled castes and tribes had met the Prime Minister on the morning of August 9, at 10 am. They said the Opposition has created confusion by spreading misinformation. It should be resolved. So there was a cabinet meeting where it was resolved,” Mr Meghwal told NDTV.

“It was said that the creamy layer is not part of the judgment. Anyway creamy layer does not exist among the Scheduled Castes and Tribes,” he added.