A political controversy erupted on Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi referred to former party colleague and BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu as a “traitor” during a protest in the Parliament complex. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly criticised Gandhi’s remark, claiming it was an insult to the Sikh community and linking the issue to the 1984 Operation Bluestar.

Rahul Gandhi was protesting in the Parliament complex against the suspension of eight Congress MPs. He was also demanding that the unpublished memoir of former Army chief MM Naravane, which includes his account of the India-China border standoff, should be allowed in the House.

During the protest near Makar Dwar, Ravneet Singh Bittu walked towards the protesting MPs. Rahul Gandhi moved forward to shake hands with him, but Bittu refused. At that moment, Rahul Gandhi made the remark, “Here is a traitor walking right by”.

Rahul Gandhi continued speaking as Bittu did not respond to the handshake. He said, "Look at the face... Hello, my friend... You will come back [to Congress]."

Bittu, a three-time MP from the Congress, had left the party and joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He currently serves as the Minister of State for Railways and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries. He is also a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan.

Following the incident, BJP leaders launched an attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. Speaking about the altercation outside Makar Dwar, Ravneet Singh Bittu invoked Operation Bluestar, the military action carried out in June 1984 under the then Indira Gandhi-led government. The operation was aimed at removing separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, the holiest site of Sikhism.

Bittu criticised the Congress party and accused them of hypocrisy. He said, "They [Congress] believe that they are the biggest 'desh bhakt' [patriots]. The Congress party, Gandhi family put Punjab on fire. The Golden Temple was destroyed... My grandfather Sardar Beant Singh was also martyred... till the time I was with you [Congress], I was right, and now I am with BJP, then you are referring to me with such a word [traitor]."

He further attacked Rahul Gandhi personally and said, "He [Rahul Gandhi] thinks himself as some 'Shehanshah'. When he came forward to shake hands, I told him that you people are 'desh ke gaddar', enemies of the country... talk against the Army daily."

The BJP also raised the issue publicly in a press conference. Union Minister and BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri said the word “traitor” should not be used casually, as it refers to someone who betrays the country. He also linked the remark to Bittu’s Sikh identity, calling it a serious issue.

Puri said, "This is a serious issue for the Sikh community. LoP Rahul Gandhi is upset that Bittu ji left his party, but he also told him that you will come back. Just because a turban-wearing person leaves your party, you call him a traitor. The word he used is unacceptable. To label anyone from any community as a traitor is unacceptable. Parliamentary discourse, both outside and inside the parliament, has to be grounded in decency and in decent language."

Another former Congress leader and now BJP member, Jaiveer Shergill, also reacted strongly and accused Rahul Gandhi of having an “anti-Sikh” mindset.

Shergill said, “As per Rahul Gandhi, anybody who serves the nation is a traitor and anybody who falls on his feet is a loyalist. By calling Sardar Ravneet Singh Bittu a traitor, Rahul Gandhi has insulted the entire Sikh community, has once again displayed his anti-Sikh mindset, displayed his high-headedness, his crassness and once again proven that he is not fit to be an LoP.”

He further added, “Rahul Gandhi should not forget that it is the Sikh community which has always been protecting and serving the nation, unlike him, who questions the Army, defames the nation, and is always eager to become a hero in Pakistani newspapers.”

Shergill also said, “Rahul Gandhi's conduct today in the Parliament is shameful, disgusting and unbecoming of a LoP.”

Meanwhile, Parliament witnessed disruptions for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. Opposition MPs led by Rahul Gandhi continued their protest over the unpublished memoir linked to Naravane’s book, which was supposed to be published in January 2024. After an extract appeared in December 2023, its publication was deferred as it had not received clearance from the Army.

The memoir relates to an article published in Caravan magazine quoting Naravane’s account, which suggested that the political leadership appeared indecisive during the India-China face-off in 2020.