A fierce political war of words erupted on Wednesday after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a blistering attack on Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his comments about the Indian Army’s representation. Sarma, speaking to reporters, said Gandhi should be “officially declared mad” for his statements, which he claimed insulted the armed forces.

A video of Sarma’s remarks has since gone viral, drawing sharp reactions across social media and political circles. The Assam CM accused Gandhi of making “careless” and “irresponsible” suggestions about the composition of the Indian Army.

“Rahul Gandhi pagal hai. Unka baat hi mat karo. Jo bhi muh me aata hai wahi bolte hai. Abhi, Pakistan ka saath India ka ladai hoga toh Sena mein bhi 10%-20% karega. Kisko sena me hona chahiye? Jo sabse takatwar hai aur Pakistan ko maar sakta hai. Lekin Rahul Gandhi kya bol raha hai? sena me bhi aap 10%-20% shuru karo. Toh mai chahta hu ki Desh Rahul Gandhi ko officially pagal ghoshit kar de,” Sarma said while speaking to reporters in Guwahati.

The controversy began after Rahul Gandhi, during a campaign rally in Kutumba, Bihar, ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, raised concerns over the lack of representation of Dalits, Mahadalits, backward classes, and minorities in various national institutions — including the armed forces, judiciary, bureaucracy, and corporate sector. Gandhi remarked that the Indian Army, like other sectors, is dominated by a “small percentage of the population,” calling for greater inclusivity.