Rahul hits out at Bhagwat, calls his comment about true independence treasonous
The attack came days after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said India achieved true independence when the Ram Mandir was consecrated last year
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat over his comment that India achieved true independence when the Ram Mandir was consecrated last year, saying it amounted to “treason”. He said Bhagwat, who also said India only gained political independence in 1947, would be arrested over such a comment had he been in any other country.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters “Indira Bhawan” in New Delhi, Gandhi said the Congress was fighting a “civilisational war” against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fount RSS. He called Congress the only party with the courage and capability to stop them.
Gandhi said that the BJP-RSS want “a shady hidden society and one man” to run India. He reiterated two visions of India were in conflict. “It is the fight between our idea and the RSS’s idea. Our idea says India is a union of states. I saw in the building [Indira Bhawan] that all Indian languages are displayed. It shows there is no superior language and no superior culture.”
Gandhi said the other idea is of centralisation. “Bhagwat has the audacity to tell the nation what he thinks about the independence movement and the Constitution. What he said...is treason. He meant that the Constitution and the fight against the British were invalid. To say India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian. In any other country, he would be arrested.”
Gandhi said it was time they stopped listening to this nonsense. “These people keep parroting out and shouting and screaming. The Congress has worked with Indian people and achieved success for the country with the help of its foundation—the Constitution,” Gandhi said.
He insisted Bhagwat essentially attacked the Constitution. “Every day, they are attacking the ideas we believe in. Only these people in this room [Congress leaders] have the courage and the capability to stop them.” He said they were not fighting the BJP and RSS alone. “The BJP and the RSS have captured every institution. We are fighting BJP, RSS, and the Indian state itself,” Gandhi said.
He added the people in power do not salute Tricolour, and do not believe in the Constitution. “They want to crush the voice of people; minorities and backward [communities]. The only party that can stop the BJP is our party. Were Guru Nanak, Buddha, and Lord Krishna from RSS ideology? No,” said Gandhi in his inaugural speech at the new Congress headquarters.
The inauguration of the new headquarters marks a fresh chapter in the party’s journey from Anand Bhawan in Allahabad (now Prayagraj). The headquarters has been shifted after 47 years from 24 Akbar Road in Lutyens’ Delhi.
