Congress Protest: The Congress party today launched mass protests across India targeting Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu. The protests, so far surprisingly vociferous in states like Delhi and Rajasthan, have been justified as a direct response to the remarks made by Bittu which have incensed Congress members.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu’s Alleged Inflammatory Comments
The controversy started when Rahul Gandhi spoke very sharply during a recent three-day visit to the United States at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, and the BJP. His open criticism did not go unnoticed and increased scrutiny from the BJP to that extent, with the BJP having comments from Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, against which Congress has alleged that they were inflammatory and derogatory words.
Bittu’s statement have been protested by the workers from various states. This protest saw clashes between Congress workers and the police in Delhi. A number of the Congress workers were taken into custody by the police. Delhi Congress President Devendra Yadav spoke to the media: “We are fighting to protect the Constitution by following the path of Rahul Gandhi. We are not afraid of BJP.”. Every Congress employee stands with Rahul Gandhi. The protests have also seen massive presence in Rajasthan and other places, which vindicates the party’s mass mobilisation.
Nationwide Congress Protests Erupt Over Union Minister’s Controversial Remarks
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said there is a potential conspiracy against Rahul Gandhi. Raut said remarks about Gandhi are connected with earlier violence in politics – the incident in 1984 involving Indira Gandhi, and the one in 1991 when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. Accusing the Home Minister and the Prime Minister of supporting verbally those making such threats by taking no stern measures, he charged.
Ravneet Singh Bittu Defends His Remarks Amid Growing Tensions
Reacting to the Congress protest against him, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said. “I want to tell Mallikarjun Kharge and every Congress worker that if this makes the Gandhi family happy then you can freely oppose me. When Rahul Gandhi said something against the Sikhs, he was supported by the country’s biggest enemy Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is conducting a referendum for Khalistan. That person said a word in favor of Rahul Gandhi. I waited for two days thinking that perhaps the Congress or the Congress President would condemn it. When you did not say this, I said that it is clear that Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leaders are standing with Pannun.”
The protests are, of course, a matter of increasing political acrimony and emphasize that the stakes are high in the confrontation unfolding between Congress and BJP leaders. Both parties are preparing for a long battle over these unfortunate words and their implications for wider politics.