New Delhi [India], February 4 : Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for calling Union MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor," recalling Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Rahul Gandhi and Ravneet Singh Bittu exchanged words outside Parliament, with the Lok Sabha LoP calling Bittu a "traitor." The war of words began when Ravneet Bittu commented on the MPs protesting outside Parliament, saying, "They are sitting as if they won a war."
In response, the Delhi Minister called Rahul a "traitor" and said, "The kind of words used by Rahul Gandhi against a Sikh Minister, calling a Sikh Sardar 'traitor' - I strongly condemn this. This is very shameful. If there is a traitor, it is you, Rahul Gandhi. Sikh Sardar can never be a traitor. Reflecting such a mindset and using such words for Sikhs, says that Congress' mindset has not changed even to this day. If there is a traitor, it is the Gandhi family, which attacked Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks, which harmed Akal Takht Sahib, and which burned innocent Sikhs alive. We strongly condemn the sin you have committed, the insult you hurled at Sikhs, and the foul words you used for Sikhs. We will not tolerate this. I would like to tell the Lok Sabha Speaker to immediately initiate action against Rahul Gandhi."
BJP Spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also criticised Gandhi, terming his remarks an insult to the Sikh community.
Jaiveer Shergill wrote on X, "By calling Union Minister Ravneet Bittu a traitor, Rahul Gandhi has insulted the entire Sikh Community, displayed his crassness, high headedness & once again proved he is not fit to be LoP! Mr Gandhi, Sikhs have been serving & protecting the Nation, unlike you who questions Army, defame the Nation and sits in lap of China! Shameful & Disgusting."
Earlier today, Ravneet Singh Bittu also hit back at the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, saying the Congress leader is using such language because he had quit the Congress and switched to the BJP.
He said, "They think they are the biggest patriots. Even my grandfather Sardar Beant Singh... Congress and the Gandhi family started a fire. Bullets were fired at the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple. They committed targeted killings of thousands of Sikhs. If former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is referred to as 'Shaheed', then I also come from the family of Shahid-e-Azam Beant Singh."
"You were fine when I was with you, but now that I am in the BJP, you are using such language. After such remarks, he is offering his hand as if he were a king," the Union MoS added.
Rahul Gandhi had referred to Ravneet Bittu as a "traitor" as he passed by the protesting Congress MPs at Makar Dwar of the Parliament. Rahul Gandhi's jibe came as Raveent Bittu quit Congress and switched to the BJP in 2024.
Gandhi said, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face." The Congress leader offered to shake his hands, saying, "Hello, brother, my traitor friend. Don't worry, you will come back (to Congress)."
The Union MoS refused to shake hands and called Rahul, "Desh ke dushman (enemy of the state)".