Defending his brother and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his “10 per cent of population control the Army” remark, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the PM should open an ‘apmaan mantralaya’ or ministry of insult.
“Modi ji ko main sujhaav deti hoon ki woh ek ‘apmaan’ mantralaya khol le’… (I want to suggest Modi should open a ministry of insult),” Priyanka quipped.
The Congress leader, who was campaigning for the party in West Champaran, asserted that his brother Rahul did not say anything that would insult the Army.
“My brother wants the well-being of the military and is a devotee of this country. He stands up against these people; he is fearless and shows the truth to the entire nation…,” she said.
Her remarks came after Rahul Gandhi stoked a controversy with his remarks highlighting the economic inequality in the country.
Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Kutumba, Rahul remarked that the Indian Army is “under the control of 10% of the country’s population.”
He further claimed that 90 per cent of India’s population belongs to the marginalised communities, including dalits and tribals, yet they are underrepresented in corporate India, bureaucracy, judiciary, and other key institutions.
The BJP slammed his remarks, accusing the Congress leader of dragging the Army into politics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “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.”
He added, “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.”