Key Points

Hitting out at Ram Gopal Yadav, CM Yogi shared a post on his official 'X' handle and mentioned that the Army's uniform should not be seen through a "casteist" lens. He said that every soldier of the Indian Army performs national duty and is not a representative of any "caste" or "religion."

"The uniform of the army is not seen through a casteist lens. Every soldier of the Indian army performs national duty and is not a representative of any caste or religion", CM Yogi wrote in his 'X' post.

Furthermore, CM Yogi highlighted that Ram Gopal Yadav's remarks not only highlight the "narrow-mindedness" of Samajwadi Party but it is also a "grave insult" to the valour of the army and the country's identity.

"Samajwadi Party's national general secretary's act of putting a brave daughter within the ambit of caste is not only a display of his party's narrow-mindedness but also a grave insult to the valour of the army and the country's identity. This is the same mentality which dares to divide even patriotism in the name of appeasement and vote bank politics", the post further said.

Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Yadav defended his caste-related remarks on Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, referring to many cases of atrocities against minorities, Dalits and backward classes in north Indian states, especially Uttar Pradesh.

Taking a dig at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who labelled his remarks as "casteist", Yadav said that the CM, under whose nose the atrocities are committed, reacted to his statement without even listening to it. He also ridiculed the media channels, saying nobody except the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trusts them.

"I am surprised that the Chief Minister, under whose nose unimaginable atrocities are being committed on minorities, Dalits and backward classes, tweeted without even listening to my entire statement. I have no complaint against the media channels that have taken over Islamabad and Rawalpindi because no one except the ruling party trusts them," Yadav posted on X.

The SP MP clarified that he was making a point about people with "corrupt mentality" that those who "abused" Colonel Sofiya Qureshi on the basis of her religion would have abused Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Air Marshal AK Bharti, had they known their caste location.

"In some states of North India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, false cases are being filed against people on the basis of religion, caste and class. Encounters are being carried out on the basis of caste and religion. Property is being seized by declaring them gangsters on the basis of caste, religion and class. Women are being tortured on the basis of caste, religion and class. Postings of employees and officers are done on the basis of caste, religion and class...," Yadav said.

"I had made statements about people with such corrupt mentality in a programme yesterday, stating that Colonel Sofia was abused because she was identified by her religion, Foreign Secretary Mistry was abused, if these abusers had come to know that Vyomika Singh is Jatav and Air Marshal Bharti is Yadav, then they would not have refrained from abusing these officers also," he added.

- ANI