‘Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity…’: Rahul Gandhi slams RSS chief for ‘true independence’ remark, calls it treason

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rebuked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his “true statement” remark. Bhagwat said that India achieved independence only after the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was built. Gandhi said Bhagwat’s remarks amounted to treason and in any other country, he would have been arrested and tried. 

“We are getting our new headquarters in a quite particular time. I think it is symbolic that yesterday the chief of the RSS said that India never achieved independence in 1947. He said that true independence in India was achieved when the Ram Mandir was built. He says that the Constitution was not the symbol of our freedom. Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to inform the nation every two or three days what he thinks of the Independence movement, and what he thinks about the Constitution,” said Gandhi during a speech at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters at 9A Kotla Marg. 

“In fact, what he has said yesterday is treason because it is stating that the Constitution is invalid, it is stating that the fight against the British was invalid, and he has the audacity to say this publicly. In any other country he would be arrested and tried. That is a fact,” said Gandhi. 

The Congress leader added that to say India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian person. “It is about time we stopped listening to this nonsense that these people think they can just keep parroting out and shouting and screaming,” he said. 

Gandhi also said that the Congress built the success of the country on the foundations of the Constitution, which is what its new building symbolises. He further said that they are fighting a civilisational war with “these people” who are attacking the ideas that they believe in. 

He also lashed out at the Election Commission, who, he said, refused to give Congress information about the increase in the number of voters in Maharashtra from Lok Sabha elections to assembly elections. "What purpose does it serve? Why will it damage the EC? Why are they not giving us the list?” he asked, adding that the duty of the EC is to ensure transparent elections. If the number of voters has increased by 1 crore from Lok Sabha to Vidhan Sabha then it is the duty of the ECI to show why this has happened.