Overview
- Speaking in Kutumba on November 4, Rahul Gandhi argued that upper-caste groups comprising roughly 10% control the Army, judiciary, bureaucracy and corporate leadership, leaving 90% underrepresented.
- The BJP condemned the remark, with spokesperson Suresh Nakhua accusing Gandhi of injecting caste into the armed forces and party voices seeking an apology.
- Union minister Chirag Paswan on November 5 called the comments an unacceptable attempt to politicize the Army, saying the force should not be dragged into caste debates.
- Gandhi used the rally to reiterate his demand for a national caste census, positioning it as necessary to ensure representation and protect constitutional rights ahead of Bihar’s first-phase voting on November 6.
- Media coverage noted the armed forces do not publish caste-wise personnel data, while government replies showed low SC/ST/OBC and minority shares among recent high-court appointees; Gandhi also claimed top corporate leadership lacks Dalit, EBC and Adivasi representation.