Rahul Gandhi Criticizes RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Over ‘True Independence’ Comments

New Delhi : Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply criticized RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s controversial statement claiming that India achieved ‘true independence’ only after the consecration of the Ram temple. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters on January 15, 2025, Gandhi described Bhagwat’s remark as an insult to India’s freedom fighters and a direct attack on the Constitution.

Bhagwat had made the comment during a public address, stating that India only gained ‘true independence’ after the Ram temple was consecrated, sparking strong reactions from several political leaders. Gandhi, in his response, accused the RSS chief of undermining the values of India’s independence struggle and discrediting the sacrifices made by freedom fighters.

“It is treason,” Gandhi said, pointing to Bhagwat’s statement as a direct challenge to the legitimacy of the Indian Constitution and the historical struggle for independence. He elaborated that Bhagwat’s remarks implied that the 1947 independence movement, led by figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and others, was somehow invalid. Gandhi strongly condemned Bhagwat’s audacity to speak on the matter repeatedly, arguing that such statements reflect a dangerous distortion of India’s democratic principles.

“The Constitution is the foundation of our democracy. To suggest that the independence movement was irrelevant and that India’s freedom came only after the Ram temple consecration undermines everything the nation stands for,” Gandhi added. He further criticized Bhagwat for continuing to propagate such ideas, emphasizing that in any other country, such statements would be met with legal repercussions.

During the event, Gandhi stressed the importance of respecting the struggle for India’s freedom, as well as the constitutional values that define the country. He reiterated that these values were built through years of hard work, sacrifice, and struggle, culminating in the freedom achieved in 1947. He called for unity and vigilance against attempts to rewrite history and undermine the fundamental principles on which India was founded.

“In any other country, statements like these would lead to serious legal consequences,” Gandhi concluded, demanding that the nation not remain silent in the face of such insults to its history and its Constitution.