A heated political face-off played out on the steps of Parliament on Wednesday, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu trading barbs in full public view, turning a routine protest into a viral confrontation.
The flashpoint came after the Lok Sabha was adjourned amid uproar over the suspension of eight MPs. Congress leaders had gathered near Parliament’s Makara Dwar to stage a protest against the action. As Bittu, a former Congress MP who has since crossed over, walked past the group, he couldn’t resist a sarcastic swipe. Pointing at the protesting MPs, he quipped, “Ye Kargil ki jung jeet ke aaye hain,” mocking their display as if they had returned victorious from a war.
Rahul Gandhi shot back immediately. Pointing towards Bittu, he remarked, “Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face…” Then, in a mix of taunt and theatre, he extended his hand and added, “Hello, brother, my traitor friend. Don’t worry, you will come back (to Congress).”
Bittu refused the handshake. Instead, he fired a stinging retort: “Desh ke dushman,” branding Gandhi an enemy of the nation. The exchange, caught on camera, spread quickly and drew predictable reactions from both sides of the political aisle.
#WATCH | Delhi: As Union MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu passes by the protesting Congress MPs at Makar Dwar, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face…"
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2026
LoP Rahul Gandhi offered to shake his hands, saying, "Hello brother, my traitor… pic.twitter.com/5wMgjM8KAW
The spat unfolded against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Parliament. On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha was disrupted, and eight MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Budget Session following repeated disruptions and for allegedly throwing papers at the Chair. The House was adjourned till noon on Wednesday amid loud sloganeering by Opposition members.
The suspended MPs, Congress leaders Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose, along with CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan, later staged a protest outside Parliament, holding placards that read, “PM is compromised.” Rahul Gandhi had earlier echoed a similar charge while speaking to the media on the India–US trade agreement.
Defending Gandhi, Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauria accused the ruling party of trying to muzzle the Opposition. Speaking to ANI, he said the Leader of Opposition represents those who voted against the BJP and alleged a “conspiracy to stifle dissent,” arguing that the government feared public scrutiny on issues of national security.
At the heart of the disruption was Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on raising references to the 2020 standoff with China in eastern Ladakh during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address. He had said he would not cite any magazine articles or unpublished memoirs, but the government objected, maintaining that references to unpublished material were not permitted. The Chair directed him to continue his speech within the prescribed rules.
When proceedings resumed, BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, named the eight MPs. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju then moved a motion seeking their suspension for the remainder of the session, which was adopted amid continuing Opposition protests.
