Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav sparked controversy on Thursday by making casteist remarks about Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who briefed the media during Operation Sindoor along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
“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. Let me tell you-Vyomika Singh is a ‘Jatav Chamar’ from Haryana, and Air Marshal A.K. Bharti is a Yadav from Purnia. All three were from the PDA segment. One was abused because they thought she was Muslim, one was thought to be Rajput, so nothing was said, and about the other, they have no information,” News agency IANS quoted Ram Gopal Yadav as saying.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed Yadav for his remarks on Vyomika singh and Air Marshal AK Bharti, stating “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. 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.”
सेना की वर्दी 'जातिवादी चश्मे' से नहीं देखी जाती है। भारतीय सेना का प्रत्येक सैनिक 'राष्ट्रधर्म' निभाता है, न कि किसी जाति या मजहब का प्रतिनिधि होता है।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 15, 2025
समाजवादी पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय महासचिव द्वारा एक वीरांगना बेटी को जाति की परिधि में बांधना न केवल उनकी पार्टी की संकुचित सोच का…
UP Dy CM Brajesh Pathak lashed out at Ram Gopal Yadav, saying, “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. 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… This is new India. Here, people are known by their work, not their birth. The Samajwadi Party has always tried to divide the society on the basis of caste.”
#WATCH | Lucknow; On Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav's reported statement, UP Dy CM Brajesh Pathak says, "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… pic.twitter.com/FRxayL6Ni2
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 15, 2025
UP Minister Anil Rajbhar said, “The statement made by the Samajwadi party leader proves how much hatred they carry in their hearts towards Dalits. Vyomika Singh is a brave daughter of India. It is not just a name but a symbol of woman empowerment. Both daughters (Vyomika Singh and Sofiya Qureshi) gave the updates of Operation Sindoor with so much confidence and courage. Our forces gave their respect by keeping both of them at the forefront… The entire world saw how our security forces proved their courage. This is not acceptable to the Samajwadi Party… I want to tell the Samajwadi Party that Wing Commander is getting respect from all over the world… This is not the first time they are trying to insult Dalits.”
#WATCH | Lucknow; On Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav's reported statement, UP Minister Anil Rajbhar says, "The statement made by the Samajwadi party leader proves how much hatred they carry in their hearts towards Dalits. Vyomika Singh is a brave daughter of India. It is… pic.twitter.com/WLpvLshU8M
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 15, 2025
Earlier, following the direction of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, an FIR was registered against Minister Vijay Shah over his objectionable remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi at Manpur police station in Indore district.
