Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre over resignation of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Manoj Soni and asked the ruling dispensation why his resignation was kept secret for a month.

Reacting to resignation of Soni from the post of UPSC Chairman, the Congress chief in a post on X wrote, “BJP-RSS is systematically indulging in an institutional takeover of India’s Constitutional bodies, thereby damaging their reputation, integrity and autonomy.The multiple scandals that have plagued the UPSC is a cause of national concern.”

In an apparent reference to row over selection of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, he said, “Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and his Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions must come clean. Numerous cases of unqualified individuals faking caste and medical certificates seemed to have duped a ‘foolproof’ system. This is a direct affront to the genuine aspirations of lakhs of aspirants, including SC, ST, OBC, EWS candidates who work hard, burning midnight oil in preparing for the Civil Services Examinations.”

Notably, on Friday, the UPSC initiated action to cancel the selection of trainee IAS officer Khedkar who was being investigated for allegedly lying about her visual and mental disabilities and faking her identity to clear the prestigious civil services entrance exam.

“It is disconcerting how the UPSC Chairperson has resigned prematurely, five year before his term ends. Why was his resignation kept secret for a month?

Is there any connection between the numerous scandals and the resignation? This ‘blue-eyed-gem’ of Modi ji was brought in from Gujarat and promoted to being the Chairperson of UPSC,” the Congress chief said.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha further said, “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji had referred to the civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’, but Modi govt’s desperate attempt to control every aspect of governance has punched holes in the same. This needs to be thoroughly investigated at the highest level so that such cases of fraudulent malpractices in UPSC admissions don’t happen in the future.”

According to a news agency, Soni tendered resignation citing personal reasons “long back” and it has not been accepted yet. His tenure was supposed to end in 2029.