In Rajya Sabha, Modi slams Rahul Gandhi over ‘gaddar’ remark, calls it insult to Sikh community

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (February 5) strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu a “gaddar,” saying the remark amounted to an affront to the Sikh community. Speaking during his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi accused Rahul Gandhi, whom he referred to as “Yuvraj”, of political arrogance and calculated thinking. He argued that the label of “traitor” was selectively used and questioned why the remark was directed specifically at a Sikh leader who had left the Congress.

"His arrogance is at its peak. He did not call anyone else who has left the Congress a traitor. But he called the MP a traitor, because he is a Sikh. This was an insult to the Sikhs, an insult to the Gurus. This was an expression of the hatred for Sikhs that is filled in the Congress...He is a member of the family who sacrificed themselves for the country," said Prime Minister Modi. "Just because he changed his political ideology, he became a traitor? This is not a small word. How can the country tolerate a citizen being called a traitor? This is highly unfortunate. Such people will sink Congress," he added further.

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The controversy rose from a heated exchange outside Parliament’s Makar Dwar on Wednesday (Feb 4), where Rahul Gandhi allegedly used the term “gaddar” while protesting the suspension of eight MPs. As Ravneet Bittu attempted to enter the complex, the confrontation escalated, with Bittu hitting back by calling Gandhi an “enemy of the nation.” The use of the word ‘gaddar’ drew sharp reactions, as it carries painful historical connotations for Sikhs, evoking memories of the period following Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Operation Blue Star, and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Later, Bittu accused Rahul Gandhi of singling him out because of his Sikh identity and questioned why similar remarks were not made against other leaders who had exited the Congress.

Modi attacks Congress

During his Rajya Sabha address, Modi also launched an attack on the Congress, accusing it of lacking vision and forcing successive governments to undo its policy failures. He highlighted India’s growing global stature, improved health of public sector banks, record PSU profits, and a sharp decline in non-performing assets. The Prime Minister further alleged that the Congress viewed the post of Prime Minister as the preserve of a single political family, while claiming it failed to nurture entrepreneurship despite ruling the country for decades.