‘Army has only one religion': Rajnath Singh slams Rahul Gandhi for remarks on Indian Army

‘Army has only one religion': Rajnath Singh slams Rahul Gandhi for remarks on Indian Army

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday criticised Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Indian Army, urging him “not to drag the Army into politics.”

Speaking at a public rally in Banka, Bihar, Singh said that Indian soldiers follow only one faith, ‘Sainya Dharma’ (the religion of a soldier), and that the Army’s strength lies in its unity and patriotism.

“There should be reservation. We (the BJP) also support reservations and have provided them for the poor. But as far as the Army is concerned, our soldiers have only one religion ‘Sainya Dharma’. Don’t bring the Army into politics. Whenever India has faced a crisis, our soldiers have made the country proud through their bravery and courage,” Singh said.

Condemning caste and religion-based politics, the Defence Minister said such divisions have “caused great harm to the country.” He reiterated that the BJP’s vision is to uplift all communities without discrimination.

Singh also referred to Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack, saying the Army had destroyed major terrorist hideouts during the mission.

“Some terrorists infiltrated secretly and killed innocent people after asking about their religion. We eliminated all major terrorist bases during Operation Sindoor. The operation isn’t over — it’s only postponed. We’ll strike again. India is no longer seen as weak; it is now known as a powerful nation globally,” he said.

His remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi’s controversial statement in Kutumba, Bihar, where Gandhi alleged that the Indian Army and other key institutions are dominated by 10% of the population, referring to upper castes.

At the rally, Gandhi had claimed that 90% of India’s population, including Dalits, Mahadalits, backward classes, and minorities are underrepresented in the corporate sector, bureaucracy, judiciary, and military.

“All the bank money goes to them, they get all the jobs, and they dominate the bureaucracy, judiciary, and even the Army. You won’t find 90% of the population anywhere,” Gandhi said, accusing a small elite of monopolising wealth and power through India’s top 500 companies.

Voting for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, covering 121 constituencies, will take place on November 6, followed by the second phase on November 11. Counting of votes is scheduled for November 14.