Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: A fiery exchange unfolded outside Parliament today between Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, as tempers flared over party defections and national loyalty.
“Hello, Traitor Friend,” Says Rahul Gandhi
As Ravneet Singh Bittu walked past protesting Congress MPs near the Makar Dwar entrance, Rahul Gandhi pointed at him and remarked, “There goes a traitor. Hello, my traitor friend. Don’t worry, come back to Congress.”
Bittu Fires Back: “I Don’t Shake Hands with Enemies of the Nation”
The BJP minister refused to reciprocate the greeting. In a sharp rebuttal, he responded, “I don’t deal with enemies of the nation.”
The Political Backdrop
Ravneet Singh Bittu, formerly a three-time Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib and Ludhiana, joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Although he lost to Congress leader Amrinder Singh Raja Warring by 20,000 votes in Ludhiana, Bittu was appointed Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries in the Modi cabinet.
A History of Clashes
The Gandhi-Bittu rivalry is not new. In September 2024, Bittu accused Rahul of dividing the Sikh community during a speech in the US, even calling him “India’s No.1 terrorist”—a statement that triggered a media storm.
Political Tensions Run High
Today’s spat comes amid ongoing protests by Congress over issues including the US trade deal and revelations from former Army Chief MM Naravane’s book, which alleges the government distanced itself from military decision-making during the China border standoff.
