FIR Filed Against Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for Remarks Made in the U.S.

An FIR has been registered against Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for his alleged statements made during a visit to the United States, as confirmed by the police on Thursday, September 19, 2024. The complaint was lodged by an office-bearer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. According to the police, the FIR was filed at the High Grounds police station in Bengaluru.

The charges against Mr. Bittu fall under several sections of the Indian legal code. These include sections 353 (2), which relates to making, publishing, or circulating false information and alarming news, section 192, which concerns provocations intended to cause riots, and section 196, which deals with promoting enmity between different groups based on religion, race, and other factors.

Union Minister Bittu, who is also serving as Minister of State for Railways, has been criticized by Congress for his remarks attacking Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Mr. Bittu had accused Mr. Gandhi of supporting separatists, whom he described as “manufacturers of bombs,” and termed him as the “number one terrorist.”

The controversy originated after Mr. Gandhi’s comments during his four-day visit to the United States, where he expressed concerns about the rights of Sikhs in India to wear traditional symbols like turbans and visit Gurdwaras. Mr. Bittu asserted that the comments were harmful and provocative, sparking backlash from Congress, who demanded an apology from the minister. However, Mr. Bittu stood firm, calling for the Congress President to clarify the party’s stance on Mr. Gandhi’s remarks.

Further tensions arose when Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu reportedly supported Mr. Gandhi’s statements, prompting further sharp words from Mr. Bittu, who stated if separatists were endorsing Mr. Gandhi, it confirmed the latter’s extremist role as he saw it.