Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has alleged that the government is conspiring to end reservation for the SC, ST, OBC and EWS categories.
Kharge said government posts are being deliberately kept vacant, while recruitment of employees on contract is being increased.
He alleged that the BJP’s policy is aimed at taking away the constitutional rights granted by BR Ambedkar. He said the BJP’s policy has now been exposed.
More than double the number of vacant posts at the Centre
Kharge wrote on social media platform X that the Modi government has planned to end reservation. In 2015, 4.21 lakh posts were vacant in the Central government. By 2024, the number had increased to 8.24 lakh.
He said 2.40 lakh posts are vacant in the Railways, 2.41 lakh in the Defence Ministry and 1.10 lakh in the Home Ministry.
Claim of 5.1 lakh permanent jobs being eliminated in PSUs
The Congress president said permanent employment in public sector undertakings (PSUs) has declined while contractual hiring has increased. He claimed that 5.1 lakh permanent jobs have been eliminated in PSUs.
According to Kharge, the share of employees working on contract has increased from 19% to 49%.
Kharge said: It is not just about jobs, but social justice
Kharge said, “The issue is not just about employment, but social justice. If government posts are kept vacant, opportunities for reservation will end. If PSUs are sold, reserved jobs will disappear. If permanent jobs are converted into contractual positions, reservation will end.”
Kharge said, “Ending reservation does not require a constitutional amendment. Eliminating jobs covered by reservation is enough. This is the agenda of the BJP, which opposes social justice.”
