PM Modi Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'Traitor' Remark Against Ravneet Bittu, Cites Anti-Sikh Sentiment

A major political controversy erupted in India after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly referred to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Ravneet Singh Bittu as a 'traitor' (gaddar) outside the Parliament premises on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. This remark, captured in video clips, occurred as Bittu, a former Congress leader who switched to the BJP in March 2024, was passing by protesting opposition MPs. Gandhi was heard saying, 'Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face,' and then, extending his hand, added, 'Hello, brother. My traitor friend. Don't worry, you will come back (to Congress).' The incident quickly escalated, drawing sharp condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders. Addressing the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, February 5, 2026, PM Modi strongly 'teared into' Rahul Gandhi, calling him the 'Yuvraj' (prince) of Congress with a 'shaatir dimag' (cunning mind) and asserting that his arrogance had reached its peak. Modi explicitly linked Gandhi's 'traitor' remark to a perceived 'hatred for Sikhs that is filled in the Congress,' stating that it was an 'insult to the Sikhs, an insult to the Gurus' because Bittu is a Sikh. BJP's Sikh leaders, including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, also launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi. They argued that the 'traitor' comment was not merely a political jab but a profound affront to Sikh pride and the community's history of sacrifice. Hardeep Singh Puri emphasized that the term 'traitor' should not be used lightly, especially against a person from a family that has made significant sacrifices for the nation, referring to Bittu's grandfather, former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated by terrorists. Puri suggested that Gandhi's remark revealed a mindset that demeans Sikh leaders and disregards their contributions. Manjinder Singh Sirsa further accused the Congress of harboring the 'anti-Sikh mentality' that was evident during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, even calling the Gandhi family the 'real traitors' for historical events related to the Golden Temple. Ravneet Singh Bittu himself retorted to Rahul Gandhi's jibe by calling him 'desh ke dushman' (enemy of the nation) and invoked Operation Bluestar and the 1984 riots in his response, highlighting the historical sensitivities surrounding the term 'gaddar' for the Sikh community. Ravneet Singh Bittu is a three-time MP and the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. He had a long association with the Congress, even serving briefly as the Leader of the Indian National Congress in Lok Sabha, before defecting to the BJP in March 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. His move to the BJP, where he now serves as the Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, was a significant political shift in Punjab. Congress leaders, while acknowledging Gandhi's remarks, attempted to frame them in the context of political defection. Punjab Congress Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring reminded Bittu that his political career was largely shaped by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, and that Bittu was a 'traitor' to the party's ideology and his grandfather's legacy. However, the BJP vehemently rejected this explanation, asserting that calling a Sikh leader a 'traitor' carries a much deeper, insulting connotation, especially given the historical context of the Sikh community being labeled as such in the past. The controversy underscores the charged political atmosphere in India, particularly as general elections approach, and highlights the use of emotionally resonant historical events and community sentiments in political discourse. The exchange has led to a significant political slugfest, reviving allegations of Congress's historical animosity towards the Sikh community and sparking calls for an apology from Rahul Gandhi.

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