New Delhi: A spot broke out between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu outside Parliament on Wednesday, February 4, with the former calling Bittu a “traitor” for defecting to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Congress and the latter hitting back by saying Gandhi is a “desh ke dushman (enemy of country).”
Congress party members, along with Gandhi, were protesting near the Makar Dwar before the Budget Session proceedings began. As the Union Minister was passing by the protesters, Gandhi said, “Here is a traitor walking right by.”
His comment received a round of laughter, after which he continued, “Take a look at the face, this is what it looks like.”
“My traitor friend,” he added, while stretching his hand out for a handshake. Bittu, the Union Minister of State for Railways, passed by him, while the LoP continued saying, “Don’t worry, you’ll come back.”
Bittu replied, “Desh ke dushman,” and refused to shake Gandhi’s hand.
Union Minister Bittu had previously served as the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha in 2021 and joined the BJP in 2024. Gandhi was likely referring to his party change, insinuating that he would come back to the party.
The minister later told IANS in an interview that even a street gangster would not make a remark like the one made by Gandhi. “Today, even a street goon would not do what Rahul Gandhi has done. When I did not shake hands, he was about to physically assault me, as you can see in the video.”
