Rahul Gandhi Kicks up Another Row Claiming Indian Army is “Under the Control” of 10% Upper Castes

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Nov 4: Even though it was in the context of the Congress demand for a nation-wide caste census, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi kicked up yet another political row on Tuesday by claiming that the Indian army, like the corporate sector, was “under the control” of the 10 per cent of the population constituting the upper castes.

Addressing a rally at Kutumba in Aurangabad district in the poll-bound Bihar, Mr Gandhi said, “If you look closely, 90 percent of the country’s population is Dalit, Maha Dalit, backward, extremely backward, or from minority communities. Ninety percent of the people come from the most backward and tribal sections of society.”

He went on to add, “If you take out a list of India’s 500 largest companies, you won’t find anyone from the backward or Dalit communities there, they all come from that top 10 percent. All the jobs go to them. They have control over the armed forces. You won’t find the remaining 90 percent population represented anywhere.”

The BJP was quick to slam Mr Gandhi for making a reference to the army and repeated its earlier charge that the Congress leader was trying to weaken the army by inflicting castiest factor in the forces.

Campaigning for the “Mahagathbandhan” candidates, Mr Gandhi said, “only 10 per cent of the country’s population (i.e., the ‘upper castes’) get opportunities in corporate sectors, bureaucracy, and the judiciary… even the Army is under their control.” “The remaining 90 per cent – backward classes, Dalits, scheduled tribes, and other minorities – are nowhere to be seen,” he said, echoing calls for social justice and equal opportunities he has made over the past year, particularly over the opposition’s demand for a national caste census.

In that context, Gandhi had said a national caste census would identify the 90 per cent of Indians sitting ‘outside the system’ and take steps to protect their rights and constitutional guarantees. “We want the data. How many Dalits, OBCs (Other Backward Classes), women, minorities… are there. We are trying to protect the Constitution through this demand for a caste census.” “If 90 per cent people don’t have participatory rights, the Constitution can’t be protected,” he added.

This is not the first time that Mr Gandhi had advocated for a nation-wide caste census nor was the first time he made reference to the armed forces though it a different context. In August he was reprimanded by the Supreme Court over a comment – “Chinese troops are thrashing Indian soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh” – made during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. The comment was in reference to the India-China military face-off in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector in December 2022.

Pressing the demand for a nationwide “caste census” earlier, Mr Gandhi had similarly talked about 90 per cent of the non-upper caste population were being made to sit out of the system and that steps should be taken to protect their interests. He also said for the Congress, the “caste census” was the foundation and a tool for policy making.

At different rallies he had said, “90 per cent people are sitting out of the system. They have skill, knowledge but no connections (with the system). That is why we have raised the demand for a caste census.” Asserting that before ensuring the participation of various sections of the society, there was a need to ascertain their numbers, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said, “For the Congress, the caste census is the foundation of policy making. It is a tool for policy making. We cannot make policies in the reality of India without a caste census.” Rahul Gandhi said just like the Constitution, the “caste census” was a policy framework and a guide for the Congress.

“Just like our Constitution, which is a guide in a way and it is being attacked every day, a caste census, a socio-economic survey, an institutional survey will be our second guide,” he had said. “We want the data. How many Dalits, OBC (Other Backward Classes), tribals, women, minorities, general caste people are there. We are trying to protect the Constitution through this demand for a caste census,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi had also said the Constitution was not for the 10 per cent of the country’s population, but for all the citizens. “The Constitution is protected by poor people, labourers, tribals and not by a few persons. If 90 per cent people do not have participatory rights, the Constitution cannot be protected.

“Our aim is to protect the Constitution. This (the Constitution) is a protective shield for the poor, farmers and labourers. Without it, the situation would be as it used to be earlier in the times of kings and emperors, who did whatever they wanted.” He had also alleged that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to replicate the model of kings and emperors.

“You (Modi) consider yourself non-biological. You consider yourself connected with the god. Right after the (Lok Sabha) election, you had to bow down before the Constitution. This was not done by us but by people,” he said.