Rahul Gandhi-Ravneet Bittu spar outside parliament, exchange "Traitor" vs "Desh Ke Dushman" jibes

New Delhi [India], February 4 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister of State (MoS) for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Wednesday engaged in an exchange of words outside the Parliament, with the Lok Sabha LoP calling Bittuu a "traitor."
Rahul Gandhi referred to Ravneet Bittu as a "traitor" as he passed by the protesting Congress MPs at Makar Dwar of the Parliament. Rahul Gandhi's "traitor" jibe came as Raveent Bittu quit Congress and switched to the BJP in 2024.
Gandhi said, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face." The Congress leader offered to shake his hands, saying, "Hello, brother, my traitor friend. Don't worry, you will come back (to Congress)."
The Union MoS refused to shake hands and called Rahul, "Desh ke dushman (enemy of the state)".
The exchange of words began when Ravneet Bittu commented on the protesting MPs, saying, "They are sitting as if they won a war."
Earlier today, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon amid heavy sloganeering by Opposition members over the suspension of eight Opposition MPs a day earlier during the Budget Session.
The suspended opposition MPs were seen protesting outside Parliament, holding posters reading "PM is compromised." LoP Rahul Gandhi had alleged the same while speaking to the media on the India-US trade agreement.
The suspended MPs include Congress members Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose, as well as CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan.
Eight opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the budget session for violating rules and "throwing papers on the chair" following uproar in the House over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's insistence on mentioning a specific reference to the 2020 standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the motion for suspension of the eight members for the remainder of the budget session for "violating rules and throwing papers on the chair." The motion was adopted by the House amid protests from the opposition members. (ANI)