Congress MP Rahul Gandhi triggered a major controversy on Tuesday with remarks made on the Indian Army during a campaign rally in Kutumba, Bihar, ahead of the state Assembly elections set to begin on Thursday.
Addressing a public gathering, Gandhi claimed that the Indian Army and major institutions are controlled by only 10 per cent of the country’s population, referring to upper-caste groups.
“If you look closely, 90 per cent of India’s population belongs to Dalit, Maha Dalit, backward, extremely backward, or minority communities,” Gandhi said while addressing the crowd.
“When you examine the top 500 companies in India, you won’t find representation from these sections; they all come from that top 10 per cent. They control the jobs, the armed forces, and the country’s wealth. The remaining 90 per cent have no real representation,” he added.
“10% INDIANS CONTROL SENA”
Rahul Gandhi now hunts for caste in Sena or India’s armed forces where only the uniform and nation matter not caste, creed or class. pic.twitter.com/1R7zs6IOl0
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) November 4, 2025
Calling for an inclusive India, the Congress leader said, “We want a nation where 90 per cent of the population, the poor, backward, and tribal people, can live with dignity and opportunity. The Congress party has always stood with them.”
The statement sparked an immediate backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused Gandhi of demeaning the Indian Army and dividing society along caste lines.
BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua said, “Rahul Gandhi is now looking for caste in the Armed Forces and claims that 10 percent of people control it. His hatred for Prime Minister Modi has turned into hatred for India itself.”
This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi’s comments about the military have drawn criticism.
Earlier in August, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Congress MP over his statement that “Chinese troops are thrashing Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh,” made during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Gandhi had also alleged that the Chinese army occupied nearly 2,000 sq km of Indian territory, remarks that led a retired defence officer in Lucknow to file a defamation complaint, accusing him of tarnishing the Army’s image.
Rahul Gandhi’s latest comment in Bihar has now reignited the debate over his rhetoric on caste and the armed forces, with the BJP demanding an apology for what it calls a “deeply divisive and irresponsible statement.”
