Inside the Sharp Verbal Spat: Why Rahul Gandhi Called Ravneet Singh Bittu a ‘Traitor’

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A tense argument broke out at the gates of Parliament on 4 February 2026. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu exchanged heated arguments. Gandhi called Bittu a "traitor friend." Bittu fired back by calling Gandhi an "enemy of the country." This fight shows a deep split in Indian politics over history, religion, and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

A Refusal to Shake Hands: The Core Conflict

The issue started near the Makar Dwar, where Rahul Gandhi was protesting with other leaders, when he saw Bittu walking past. Gandhi spoke to the crowd and pointed at Bittu. "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face," Gandhi remarked, according to Hindustan Times. He then offered to shake hands by saying, "Hello brother, my traitor friend. Don't worry, you will come back to Congress."

Bittu did not appreciate this and refused to shake Gandhi’s hand. In response, he called Gandhi an enemy of the state. As ANI reported, Bittu brought up the past to defend himself: "They think they are the biggest patriots. Even my grandfather Sardar Beant Singh... 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."

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How Does This Rhetoric Affect the Sikh Community in 2026?

People often forget how this affects the Sikh community’s trust in democratic institutions. Both sides talk about the 1984 riots and the farmers' protests, without any solution in sight. This back and forth has drained most families and small business owners in Punjab.

The name-calling might spark conversations during the upcoming local elections in Punjab. The BJP wants to portray Gandhi as "anti-national." They hope this will help them win votes from urban Hindus and moderate Sikhs. Congress, on the other hand, wants people to view Bittu as someone who left his community for a high-ranking job.