A special screening of the new docu-series Angry Young Men was held last night. And it was quite the star-studded event. In attendance was lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar. He was joined by his wife, actress Shabana Azmi. While the former wore a printed kurta, the latter opted for a blue shirt paired with jeans.

Salim Khan was seen arriving at the screening as he posed for the paps. He opted for a black shirt and white pants paired with a black cap.

Boney Kapoor, Zoya Akhtar, Suhana Khan, Vedang Raina, Khushi Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala and others were also seen at the Angry Young Men screening. Check out the photos here:

Union Minister Jitendra Singh today wrote to the head of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), asking the civil service body to cancel its advertisement for lateral entry into bureaucracy.  

The UPSC recently issued an advertisement seeking “talented and motivated Indian nationals” for lateral recruitment to various senior positions within the Union government. These positions include Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary in 24 ministries, with a total of 45 posts up for grabs. 

This move has triggered a debate on lateral entry into bureaucracy, especially after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent criticism of the process, which the BJP has countered by pointing out that the concept was initially developed under a Congress-led government. 

“While most of the major lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, including cases of alleged favouritism, efforts of our government have been to make the process institutionally driven, transparent and open,” Mr SIngh’s letter read. “The Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must be aligned with the principles of equity and social justice enshrined in our Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation.” 

READ | What Is Lateral Entry In Bureaucracy That Triggered BJP vs Congress Debate

Lateral entry into bureaucracy refers to the recruitment of individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), to fill mid and senior-level positions in government departments.

The lateral entry process was formally introduced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, with the first set of vacancies announced in 2018. This marked a departure from the traditional system where senior bureaucratic positions were almost exclusively filled by career civil servants.

According to government sources, the idea was first proposed during the UPA government, led by Congress, in the mid-2000s. In 2005, the UPA established the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) under the chairmanship of Veerappa Moily. The Commission was tasked with recommending reforms to the Indian administrative system.

In his letter, Mr Singh pointed out that while the concept of lateral entry was initially endorsed by the Second ARC and later supported by the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission in 2013, its implementation has historically lacked transparency and fairness.

“For PM Modi, reservation in public employment is a cornerstone of our social justice framework, aimed at addressing historical injustices and promoting inclusivity,” Mr Singh’s letter read. “It is important that the constitutional mandate towards social justice is upheld so that deserving candidates from marginalised communities get their rightful representation in the government services.”

Mr Singh cited several high-profile cases where lateral entrants were appointed to key positions without following proper reservation protocols, including the leadership of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and even Secretary-level posts in various ministries during earlier administrations.

“Since these positions have been treated as specialised and designated as single-cadre posts, there has been no provision for reservation in these appointments. This aspect needs to be reviewed and reformed in the context of the Prime Minister’s focus on ensuring social justice. Hence, I urge the UPSC to cancel the advertisement for lateral entry recruitment. This step would be a significant advance in the pursuit of social justice and empowerment,” the letter read. 

Opposition leaders including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of using lateral entry as a backdoor to recruit officers loyal to the BJP’s ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Gandhi alleged that lateral entry is being used to sidestep the UPSC and deny reservations to candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

However, the BJP hit back, pointing out that the concept of lateral entry was developed during the Congress-led UPA government. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw claimed that the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), chaired by Congress leader Veerappa Moily, recommended lateral recruitment to fill gaps in roles requiring specialised knowledge.

The Supreme Court, hearing the Kolkata rape-murder incident today, said the nation cannot wait for another rape for changes on the ground. The DY Chandrachud-led bench also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the West Bengal government and the authorities at the hospital over the delay in filing the FIR and other procedural lapses in handling the case.

“Medical professions have become vulnerable to violence. Due to ingrained patriarchal biases, women doctors are targeted more. As more and more women join the workforce, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground,” CJI Chandrachud noted. 

READ | Supreme Court Sets Up National Task Force Of Doctors On Hospital Safety

During the hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud raised several pressing questions regarding the actions of the hospital’s administration and the local police.

“Why was FIR registered three hours after the body was handed over for cremation,” the Supreme Court bench asked. 

‘What Was Principal Doing?’

The Supreme Court, on its own, took up the investigation into the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The incident has triggered widespread protests across the country and raised questions over women’s safety, particularly in medical colleges.

The three-judge bench is led by CJI Chandrachud and comprises Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. 

“What was the principal doing? FIR was not filed; the body was handed late to the parents. What is the police doing? A serious offence has taken place, the crime scene is in a hospital… What are they doing? Allowing vandals to enter the hospital?” CJI Chandrachud asked. 

Sandip Ghosh, who resigned as the principal of RG Kar Medical College just two days after the incident, has been under scrutiny by the CBI and questioned for nearly 53 hours over the past four days regarding his actions following the doctor’s death. 

In response to the bench’s questions, Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, countered that people at the hospital had taken photos, a case of unnatural death was immediately started, and a board was set up with a judicial magistrate present. However, CJI Chandrachud said that it was the hospital’s duty to file the FIR, especially in the absence of the victim’s parents.

Justice Pardiwala questioned the timeline of the FIR, asking, “Who is the first informant who filed the FIR? What is the time of the FIR?” Mr Sibal responded that the first informant was the father of the victim, who filed the FIR at 11:45 pm, followed by the Vice Principal of the hospital.

The CJI Chandrachud questioned the time at which the victim’s body was handed over for cremation, which was reportedly at 8:30 pm, and pointed out that the FIR was filed three hours later. The autopsy, conducted between 1:45 pm and 4:00 pm, revealed that the doctor had been murdered, yet the FIR was registered much later. “What was the principal, and the hospital board, doing during this time?” asked CJI Chandrachud. “It appears crime was detected in the morning. The hospital’s principal tried to pass it off as suicide and the parents were not allowed to see the body. No FIR was filed.” 

“That is not correct,” countered Mr Sibal. “FIR registered immediately, and the inquest shows it is a case of murder.”

READ | Corruption Case Against Ex-Head Of Kolkata Hospital Where Doctor Was Murdered

The Chief Justice also noted that after the principal’s resignation, he was reassigned as principal in another college. 

The Calcutta High Court instructed the West Bengal Health Department not to appoint Mr Ghosh to any other medical college until further notice. This order followed his brief and contentious appointment as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, which was met with protests from students and junior doctors.

National Task Force

Additionally, the Supreme Court has set up a national task force (NTF) comprising top doctors who will submit recommendations to ensure the safety of doctors. The NTF has been asked to submit an interim report within three weeks and a final report within two months. 

The task force will comprise Surgeon Vice Admiral R Sarin, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Dr M Shreenivas, Dr Pratima Murty, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Dr Saumitra Rawat, Prof Anita Saxena, Head Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi, Prof Pallavi Sapre, Dean Grant Medical College Mumbai, Dr Padma Srivastava, Neurology department, AIIMS.

The matter has been next listed for hearing on August 22.