Parliament Heat: Modi's Full Blast at Rahul Over Bittu Comment
The Budget Session of Parliament witnessed dramatic scenes on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp and emotional attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “traitor” remark directed at Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu. Calling the comment a direct insult to the Sikh community, Modi accused the Congress of nurturing historical prejudice against Sikhs and disrespecting a family that had sacrificed for the nation.
The Prime Minister was originally scheduled to address the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. However, repeated adjournments, protests by Opposition members, and chaotic scenes inside the House led to the cancellation of his speech. He later delivered his response to the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha amid loud sloganeering and an Opposition walkout.
Major Highlights of the Day
PM Modi condemns Rahul Gandhi’s “traitor” remark, linking it to Congress’s alleged bias against Sikhs
Opposition stages walkout from Rajya Sabha minutes after PM begins speech
Modi highlights reduction of NPAs and record profits of PSUs
Government claims India has finalised nine global trade agreements, including a historic EU deal
Lok Sabha adjourned multiple times amid ruckus over Rahul Gandhi’s right to speak
PM Modi’s Strong Rebuttal to Rahul Gandhi
Opening his address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi referred directly to the controversy triggered a day earlier when Rahul Gandhi allegedly called Ravneet Singh Bittu a “gaddar” (traitor) during protests outside Parliament.
“Yesterday, a member of this Parliament was called a traitor. Many leaders have left the Congress, the party has split several times, yet no one else was labelled this way,” Modi said.
He went on to allege that Bittu was targeted because he is a Sikh.
“This is not just an insult to an individual, it is an insult to the entire Sikh community. It exposes the hatred Congress carries towards Sikhs,” the Prime Minister added.
Modi reminded the House that Bittu belongs to a family that had laid down its life for the country. “They insulted a man whose family was martyred for India, only because he changed his political ideology,” he said.
‘Thak Gaye, Chale Gaye’: PM’s Jibe at Opposition Walkout
As the Prime Minister began speaking, Opposition MPs led by Congress and TMC walked out of the Rajya Sabha, alleging that the government was not allowing Rahul Gandhi to present his views in the Lok Sabha.
Reacting to the walkout, Modi said sarcastically,
“Thak gaye, chale gaye… But one day they will have to answer why no country wanted to sign trade deals with India earlier.”
His remark triggered protests from Opposition benches even as Treasury members thumped desks.
Economic Achievements Highlighted
A significant part of Modi’s speech focused on the government’s economic record. He claimed that the NDA regime had rescued the banking system from collapse.
Non-performing assets (NPAs) reduced from double digits to below 1%
Banks restored to health after years of “policy paralysis”
Public Sector Undertakings recording historic profits instead of losses
India moving from “Fragile Five” to the world’s third-largest economy
He described the current decade as decisive for building a “Viksit Bharat.”
‘Mother of All Deals’ with EU
The Prime Minister announced that India had finalised nine trade agreements, the most important being with the 27-member European Union.
“India is now forging future-ready trade partnerships. The EU deal is the mother of all agreements,” he said, adding that the world now sees India as a trusted economic partner and the leading voice of the Global South.
Why PM Did Not Speak in Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla revealed that he had personally requested the Prime Minister not to attend the House on Wednesday due to security and decorum concerns.
“I had concrete information that some Opposition members planned to move towards the PM’s chair and create an unprecedented situation. To prevent any unpleasant incident, I requested the Prime Minister not to come,” Birla said.
He termed the behaviour of some MPs a “black spot” on parliamentary democracy.
Congress Fights Back
The Congress rejected the Prime Minister’s allegations and accused the government of running away from debate.
Mallikarjun Kharge said the government was “paralysing Parliament to hide its mistakes.”
Priyanka Gandhi questioned, “What are they afraid of? A book quote? Questions on the trade deal?”
Shashi Tharoor insisted Rahul Gandhi must be allowed to speak on the China standoff issue.
Jairam Ramesh warned that there was “very little opportunity” for the House to function if the LoP was continuously silenced.
Ravneet Bittu Responds
Breaking his silence, Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed Rahul Gandhi and called the Congress a “family affair.”
“When it became clear that the party was no longer the real Congress, people started leaving. If it was the real Congress, Rahul and Priyanka themselves would have climbed on tables and gotten suspended first,” Bittu said.
Parliamentary Deadlock Continues
Throughout the day:
Lok Sabha was adjourned repeatedly
President’s address was adopted without PM’s customary reply for the first time in 22 years
Opposition MPs protested inside and outside the House
TMC and Congress staged multiple walkouts
The Budget Session, which runs till April 2 with a recess from February 13, is now headed for further confrontation.
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