Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claim that “10 per cent of India controls the Army,” accusing him of attempting to divide the armed forces along caste lines.
Speaking at an election rally in Bihar ahead of the first phase of Assembly polling, Singh said Gandhi’s comments were “an attempt to create anarchy” and warned that bringing caste politics into the military was unacceptable.
“Rahul Gandhi is trying to create anarchy by demanding reservations in the defence forces,” Singh said. “There should be reservations, we (the Bharatiya Janata Party) have supported them for the poor, but not in the Army. Our soldiers have only one religion: sainya dharma (the soldier’s duty).”
‘Don’t Drag Army Into Politics’
Emphasising that the Army functions beyond the bounds of religion or caste, the Defence Minister said, “There is no other faith apart from this. Don’t drag our Army into politics. Whenever this nation has faced a crisis, our soldiers have held India’s head high with their bravery.”
Singh accused the Congress MP of “discriminating based on caste, sect, and religion,” adding, “This politics of caste and religion has caused great harm to the country. Our vision is to uplift every section of society without discrimination.”
BJP Leaders Join in Criticism
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also joined in the criticism, calling Gandhi’s remarks “a matter of great shame.”
“It is these parties that have engaged in caste politics for years, and now they are dragging the Army into it,” Gupta said. Taking a swipe at Gandhi’s frequent foreign trips, a familiar BJP talking point, she added, “Those who go abroad and speak ill of the country, who question our Army and compromise national security, should be ashamed.”
The row erupted after Gandhi, while campaigning in Bihar’s Aurangabad on Tuesday, alleged that the armed forces, corporate sector, bureaucracy, and judiciary were dominated by “just 10 per cent of the population,” referring to the so-called upper castes.
“Only 10 per cent of the country’s population get opportunities in these sectors, even the Army is under their control,” he said. “The remaining 90 per cent, backward classes, Dalits, scheduled tribes, and minorities are nowhere to be seen.”