Samajwadi Party national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has ignited a fierce political controversy by mentioning the castes of two Indian Air Force officers — Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Air Marshal A K Bharti — who were part of the media briefings on Operation Sindoor. Speaking in Moradabad on Thursday, Yadav accused the BJP of exploiting the military operation for political gains through ‘Tiranga Yatras’ and criticised them for targeting officers on religious grounds. He said, “They didn’t even know who Vyomika Singh was or what her caste is, nor did they know about Air Marshal A K Bharti. Otherwise, they would’ve hurled abuses at them, too.” He identified Vyomika Singh as a Jatav from Haryana and Air Marshal Bharti as a Yadav from Purnia, grouping them with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had faced criticism because of her Muslim faith.
Accusations of casteism and political exploitation
Yadav claimed BJP members had attacked Col Sofiya Qureshi because of her religion and suggested they would do the same to other officers if their caste identities were known. He said, “One was abused because she was a Muslim. One (Wg Cdr Vyomika) was thought to be a Rajput, so nothing was said.” He referred to the three officers as part of the “Pichhda-Dalit-Alpsankhyak (PDA) bloc,” implying they represented marginalised communities.
His remarks came days after BJP’s Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah faced an FIR over his abusive comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during the same briefings. Yadav later defended his statements, pointing to ongoing atrocities against minorities, Dalits, and backward classes in Uttar Pradesh and other northern states.
Strong backlash from BJP and other leaders
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reacted sharply, accusing Yadav of narrow-mindedness and disrespecting the armed forces. “Every soldier of the Indian Army performs ‘Rashtradharma’ and is not a representative of any caste or religion,” Yogi said on X (formerly Twitter). He added that this “distorted casteist mentality” undermines patriotism and divides people for vote bank politics.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called Yadav’s statement “shameful, reprehensible and criminal,” while UP BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary accused the Samajwadi leaders of being unable to accept Pakistan’s defeat, alleging “they are looking for caste in the Army.” Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also condemned Yadav’s caste-based remarks, stating, “Army is beyond caste and religion. Their religion is to protect the country. Seeing Army through the lens of caste is a sick mentality.”
BSP supremo Mayawati criticised both Yadav and BJP minister Vijay Shah for dividing the Army based on caste and religion. She said, “It is unfair to divide the army on the basis of religion and caste. Both their statements are shameful and condemnable.”
Voices from Uttar Pradesh add to the criticism
Uttar Pradesh Minister Baby Rani Maurya called Yadav’s comments “condemnable” and emphasised, “Be it Sofiya Qureshi or Vyomika Singh—they are the daughters of India. Making comments related to their castes is not good thinking.” She suggested such divisive tactics are only to gain political advantage and would not win Dalit votes.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak echoed these sentiments. Speaking to ANI, he said, “The Samajwadi Party has displayed its low mentality and anti-woman thoughts by disrespecting her based on her caste. Ram Gopal Yadav’s statement is shameful and condemnable.” He added, “Disrespect to Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is not just to her but to the entire nation. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is not just a name but a symbol of India’s pride and women’s empowerment.”
Operation Sindoor is a recent military operation involving joint forces, with media briefings featuring officers like Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Air Marshal A K Bharti, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. These briefings received widespread attention. However, political parties have turned the focus towards caste and religion, igniting debates and controversies around national unity and respect for the armed forces.
The BJP had already faced backlash for minister Vijay Shah’s derogatory remarks about Col Sofiya Qureshi, sparking an FIR. Yadav’s caste-based comments further intensified the controversy. The debate reflects the larger, ongoing battle over identity politics and caste-based vote bank strategies in India’s heartland, especially Uttar Pradesh, where political allegiances often hinge on caste dynamics.
Yadav criticised media channels, saying, “I have no complaint against the media channels that have taken over Islamabad and Rawalpindi because no one except the ruling party trusts them.” His statements reveal the distrust and polarisation prevalent in the political discourse today.
Accusations of casteism and political exploitation
Yadav claimed BJP members had attacked Col Sofiya Qureshi because of her religion and suggested they would do the same to other officers if their caste identities were known. He said, “One was abused because she was a Muslim. One (Wg Cdr Vyomika) was thought to be a Rajput, so nothing was said.” He referred to the three officers as part of the “Pichhda-Dalit-Alpsankhyak (PDA) bloc,” implying they represented marginalised communities.
His remarks came days after BJP’s Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah faced an FIR over his abusive comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during the same briefings. Yadav later defended his statements, pointing to ongoing atrocities against minorities, Dalits, and backward classes in Uttar Pradesh and other northern states.
Strong backlash from BJP and other leaders
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reacted sharply, accusing Yadav of narrow-mindedness and disrespecting the armed forces. “Every soldier of the Indian Army performs ‘Rashtradharma’ and is not a representative of any caste or religion,” Yogi said on X (formerly Twitter). He added that this “distorted casteist mentality” undermines patriotism and divides people for vote bank politics.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called Yadav’s statement “shameful, reprehensible and criminal,” while UP BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary accused the Samajwadi leaders of being unable to accept Pakistan’s defeat, alleging “they are looking for caste in the Army.” Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also condemned Yadav’s caste-based remarks, stating, “Army is beyond caste and religion. Their religion is to protect the country. Seeing Army through the lens of caste is a sick mentality.”
BSP supremo Mayawati criticised both Yadav and BJP minister Vijay Shah for dividing the Army based on caste and religion. She said, “It is unfair to divide the army on the basis of religion and caste. Both their statements are shameful and condemnable.”
Voices from Uttar Pradesh add to the criticism
Uttar Pradesh Minister Baby Rani Maurya called Yadav’s comments “condemnable” and emphasised, “Be it Sofiya Qureshi or Vyomika Singh—they are the daughters of India. Making comments related to their castes is not good thinking.” She suggested such divisive tactics are only to gain political advantage and would not win Dalit votes.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak echoed these sentiments. Speaking to ANI, he said, “The Samajwadi Party has displayed its low mentality and anti-woman thoughts by disrespecting her based on her caste. Ram Gopal Yadav’s statement is shameful and condemnable.” He added, “Disrespect to Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is not just to her but to the entire nation. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is not just a name but a symbol of India’s pride and women’s empowerment.”
Operation Sindoor is a recent military operation involving joint forces, with media briefings featuring officers like Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Air Marshal A K Bharti, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. These briefings received widespread attention. However, political parties have turned the focus towards caste and religion, igniting debates and controversies around national unity and respect for the armed forces.
The BJP had already faced backlash for minister Vijay Shah’s derogatory remarks about Col Sofiya Qureshi, sparking an FIR. Yadav’s caste-based comments further intensified the controversy. The debate reflects the larger, ongoing battle over identity politics and caste-based vote bank strategies in India’s heartland, especially Uttar Pradesh, where political allegiances often hinge on caste dynamics.
Yadav criticised media channels, saying, “I have no complaint against the media channels that have taken over Islamabad and Rawalpindi because no one except the ruling party trusts them.” His statements reveal the distrust and polarisation prevalent in the political discourse today.
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