Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has sparked a fresh controversy with his remarks suggesting that only a small section of the population -- primarily from upper castes -- dominates key institutions in India, including the armed forces, reports said.
Speaking at an election rally in Bihar’s Aurangabad ahead of the Assembly polls beginning November 6, Gandhi said, “Only 10 percent of the country’s population -- the upper castes -- get opportunities in corporate sectors, the bureaucracy, and the judiciary. Even the Army is under their control.”
He argued that the remaining 90 percent of Indians -- comprising backward classes, Dalits, Scheduled Tribes, and other minorities -- are largely absent from positions of influence.
Reiterating his demand for a national caste census, Gandhi said such data is essential to ensure equal representation and to protect the Constitution. “We want to know how many Dalits, OBCs, women, and minorities are there. If 90 percent of the people don’t have participatory rights, the Constitution cannot be protected,” he said.
Gandhi also claimed that “there are no Dalits in India’s top 500 companies,” underscoring what he described as deep-rooted inequality in access to opportunities.
This is not the first time his comments about the military have drawn criticism. Earlier, the Supreme Court had reprimanded him for remarks made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, in which he alleged that Chinese troops were “thrashing Indian soldiers” in Arunachal Pradesh.