Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the lateral entry concept has had a boomerang effect on him, according to the BJP, as the ruling party leaders pointed out that it was the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government which developed the concept in the first place.
Mr Gandhi had in a post on X alleged the Modi government is trying to recruit officers loyal to the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh through lateral entry, and not via the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).