Defence minister Rajnath Singh speaks during a public rally in Bihar (ANI photo)
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the army, accusing him of trying to drag the armed forces into politics. Campaigning in Jamui for the upcoming Bihar polls, Rajnath said Rahul was “trying to create anarchy” in the country by demanding reservation in the defence forces, and warned him, “Do not drag the army into politics.”
“What has happened to Rahul ji? He is now raising the issue of reservations in the defence forces. This is nothing but an attempt to create anarchy in the country. Our forces stand above such divisions,” Rajnath said. He added that for soldiers, there was only one religion, Sainya Dharma. “There should be reservations. We support reservations and have given them to the poor. But when it comes to the army, our soldiers follow only one faith, Sainya Dharma. There is no other religion beyond this. Do not bring politics into the army. Whenever the nation has faced a crisis, our soldiers have made India proud with their courage and valour,” the defence minister said. Rajnath’s remarks came in response to Rahul Gandhi’s statement a day earlier, where he alleged that the country’s top 10 per cent “control the army.” Addressing a rally in Aurangabad, Rahul had said, “Ninety per cent of the people come from extremely backward, backward, Dalit and Adivasi communities,” adding that these groups, despite forming the majority, remain largely excluded from positions of power and privilege.
