Govt Rejects Rahul Gandhi’s Charge On Lateral Entry; Minister Accuses Congress Of Hypocrisy

Hours after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre's move to recruit public servants through lateral entry, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav fired back with a 'hypocrisy' jibe, asserting that the UPA government originally introduced the concept. Gandhi had condemned the lateral entry initiative as an "anti-national step," claiming it undermines the reservation system for SCs, STs, and OBCs, accusing the government of trying to sideline these quotas. In response, Vaishnav highlighted that lateral entry was started under the previous UPA administration, accusing Gandhi and the Congress of hypocrisy. The debate has intensified as both sides clash over the implications of the recruitment policy, with the government defending its approach while Gandhi and Congress continue to criticize it as a threat to equitable representation.