Tensions rise as BJP demands apology for Gandhi’s ‘traitor’ comment on Bittu

Tensions flared outside the Congress office on Akbar Road on Wednesday as BJP leaders and workers staged a protest against Rahul Gandhi for calling Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor" in the Parliament House Complex . The protestors gathered at Mansingh Road, raising slogans like " Sikh Sardar Hai, Rahul Gandhi Gaddar Hai " and demanding an apology from the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Police officials said some demonstrators tried to climb the barricades set up to prevent them from advancing. At least seven protesters were detained during the protest. As the crowd dismantled two layers of barricades and moved forward, senior BJP leaders including Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva , national spokesperson Sardar R P Singh , MLA Tarvinder Marwah , state secretary Impreet Singh , and Sikh Cell convener Charanjit Singh Lovely were also detained, according to a statement from the Delhi BJP.

Leading the protest, Sachdeva alleged, "Gandhi has not just abused an individual but the entire Sikh community, which is the pride of the country." He further claimed, "The Congress and the Gandhi family considered Sikhs traitors in 1984, and even today, they hold the same view. Rahul Gandhi has openly revealed what is on his mind."

The controversy erupted in Parliament when Rahul Gandhi labeled Bittu , a three-time MP and Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries , as a "traitor" while he was entering the House Wednesday morning. The minister immediately retorted with a " desh ke dushman " (enemy of the nation) jibe. Sardar R P Singh said that Gandhi’s remark crossed all limits of decency, undermined the dignity of Parliament, and violated democratic norms, calling for a public apology.

A senior police officer confirmed heavy security deployment to maintain law and order during the protest. “Some protesters tried to climb the barricades. They were removed, and seven to ten individuals were detained,” the officer said.

Bittu , who switched from the Congress to the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has drawn attention for his role in Parliament and now finds himself at the center of a heated political confrontation.