Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday expressed surprise over the “traitor” remark made by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi against former party colleague Ravneet Singh Bittu in Parliament on Wednesday.
Singh termed the Congress leader’s comments as “chhichhore” (childish or trivial) and condemned the behavior of the Lok Sabha opposition leader.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan told ANI, “Today my heart is full of pain. I am shocked to see the leader of the opposition (Rahul Gandhi) making comments like ‘chichore’. He is using words like ‘gadar’ against all the ministers. He is also undermining the role of the Prime Minister. These comments are ‘chichore’.”
He further said, “Rahul Gandhi and Congress have tarnished the image of democracy. The entire country is watching. Whenever Congress has insulted the Prime Minister, the public has taught it a lesson. How despicable will Congress do now?”
Rahul Gandhi and Ravneet Singh Bittu had a heated argument outside Parliament on Wednesday, with the Lok Sabha opposition leader calling Bittu a “traitor”.
Passing by Congress MPs protesting at the Makar Gate of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi called Ravneet Bittu a “traitor”. Rahul Gandhi’s comment came when Ravneet Bittu decided to leave Congress and join BJP in 2024.
Gandhi said, “Look, a traitor is passing here. Look at his face.” The Congress leader offered him a handshake, saying, “Hello, my traitor friend. Don’t worry, you will come back (to the Congress).”
The Union Minister of State refused to shake hands and called Rahul an “enemy of the country”.
The heated debate started when Ravneet Bittu commented on the protesting MPs, saying, “They are sitting as if they have won a war.”
Bittu later targeted Rahul Gandhi and said that the Congress leader was using such language because he left the Congress and joined the BJP.
Ravneet Bittu referred to Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to criticize the Congress.
He said, “They consider themselves the greatest patriots. Even my grandfather Sardar Beant Singh… Congress and the Gandhi family set fire. Bullets were fired at the Guru Granth Sahib in the Golden Temple. They carried out targeted killings of thousands of Sikhs. If former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is called a ‘martyr’, then I too come from the family of Shaheed-e-Azam Beant Singh.”
The Union Minister of State further said, “You were fine when I was with you, but now that I am in BJP, you are using such language. After such comments, he is raising his hands as if he is a king.”