(MENAFN- Live Mint) A day ahead of the first phase of the 2025 Assembly elections in Bihar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has come down heavily on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi for the latter's claims that the Indian Armed Forces are being controlled by 10% of the population in the country.

While addressing a public rally in Banka, Bihar, Singh cautioned Gandhi to "not drag the Army into politics", as per a report by ANI, and also claimed that the LS LoP is trying to create anarchy in the country by“demanding reservation in the armed forces”, as per ANI.

Gandhi's comment is being seen as an apparent claim of the dominance of the upper castes in the armed forces.

Singh, in his speech, also said that the soldiers of India have only one religion, which is 'Sainya Dharma'.

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Singh disagreed with the notion that there should be reservation in appointments to the armed forces, saying, "There should be a reservation. We (the BJP) are also supporters of reservations. We have given reservations to the poor. But about the Army?... Our army soldiers have only one religion. That religion is 'Sainya Dharma'. There is no other religion besides this. Don't drag our army into politics. Whenever this country has faced a crisis, our soldiers have raised India's head high by demonstrating their bravery and valour."

Gandhi, in an election campaign, highlighted the economic inequality in India, claiming that while 90% of the country belongs to people from the marginalised communities, they find little representation in corporate India, judiciary, bureaucracy, and other such important institutions.

"All the bank's money goes to them, they get all the jobs, and they even dominate most positions in bureaucracy. They control everything. Look at the judiciary. They handle everything there, too. They even have control over the army. And you will not find 90% of the population anywhere," ANI quoted Gandhi as saying.

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Besides his, Singh also took a dig at the Lok Sabha LoP for his fishing bid while campaigning in Bihar, after a video went viral of the latter diving into a pond with locals.

Singh, while commenting on Gandhi's video, said that the Congress leader has "no option left but to jump into a pond".

Rajnath Singh on Operation Sindoor

Singh, in the rally, also reiterated his earlier comments that Operation Sindoor would not be stopped. He claimed to launch another such operation in the future.

"Our Operation Sindoor isn't over yet. It's been postponed for now. We'll launch another operation and destroy them... India is no longer known as a weak country in the world. India is now known as a powerful country in the world. India's reputation has grown in the international arena," Singh was quoted by ANI as saying.

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