War of words: Rahul Gandhi calls Ravneet Bittu 'traitor', ex-Congress leader responds
PTC News Desk: A heated war of words broke out between Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his former aide and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu on Parliament premises on Wednesday as tensions escalated ahead of the day's proceedings.
The incident took place during an opposition demonstration just before the parliamentary session commenced.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi referred to Ravneet Bittu — a former three-term Congress MP who switched to the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections — as his “traitor friend,” prompting a sharp reaction from the BJP leader. Bittu responded by labelling Gandhi a “desh ke dushman” (enemy of the nation). As Bittu passed by Congress MPs protesting near the Makar Dwar, Gandhi was reportedly heard remarking, “A traitor is walking past. Look at his face.” He then appeared to extend his hand towards Bittu and said, “Hello brother, my traitor friend. Don’t worry, you will return (to Congress).”
Bittu refused to shake hands and responded strongly, calling Gandhi an “enemy of the nation,” with both leaders briefly exchanging remarks.
Soon after the House reconvened for the day, Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned until 12 noon due to loud protests by Opposition members over multiple issues.
As the session began, Opposition MPs attempted to raise various concerns while raising slogans. Amid the uproar, Speaker Om Birla stated that members should be given the opportunity to ask questions and emphasised the need to maintain order and respect parliamentary decorum.
- With inputs from agencies
