In Shorts
- Rahul Gandhi calls Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a “traitor” during protests near Parliament.
- BJP leaders stage a protest outside Congress office on Akbar Road demanding an apology.
- Political tensions rise as both parties trade sharp barbs in public and media.
New Delhi witnessed a fresh surge of political friction on Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly branded Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a “traitor” during a protest near the Parliament complex. This comment quickly escalated into a larger confrontation, drawing vociferous criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and culminating in demonstrations outside the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road.
The incident unfolded when Gandhi was leading a group of protesting Members of Parliament near the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament. As Bittu, a former Congress MP who joined the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, walked past, Gandhi pointed towards him and made the remark, accusing him of betrayal for switching political allegiance. In a gesture that drew immediate attention, Gandhi also extended his hand for a handshake, which Bittu declined while hitting back with a sharp retort.
BJP leaders and workers responded swiftly, organizing a protest march from Mansingh Road to the Congress office on Akbar Road. The demonstrators, which included several Sikh BJP leaders, raised slogans demanding that Gandhi retract his statement and apologise. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the remark was not just an attack on an individual but on the Sikh community itself.
The political row drew reactions from both sides of the spectrum. BJP figures, including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, condemned Gandhi’s choice of words, calling them divisive and insensitive given historical sensitivities associated with the Sikh community. Critics argued that such rhetoric could aggravate communal sentiments instead of fostering healthy democratic discourse.
On the other hand, Congress leaders defended Gandhi’s comment as a critique directed at Bittu’s political decisions, especially his shift from Congress to the BJP, and rejected claims that the remark was an insult to any community. Some allies described the row as a politically motivated backlash intended to sideline substantive issues being raised by the Opposition in Parliament.
The exchange and subsequent protests reflect an increasingly charged political environment in the nation’s capital. With tensions already high over parliamentary disruptions and policy disputes, this latest clash highlights how sharp rhetoric and public demonstrations have become central in current Indian political discourse.
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