“What he said is treason…”: Rahul Gandhi Slams RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Over his 'True Independence' Remark

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sharply criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, accusing him of treason following his remarks about India’s independence. Bhagwat had stated that India gained its "true independence" only after the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, not in 1947 when the country gained political independence from British rule.

“Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to inform the nation every 2-3 days what he thinks about the independent movement, Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason because it declares that the Constitution is invalid and that the struggle against British colonial rule was meaningless," Gandhi remarked. He further expressed his disbelief at Bhagwat’s “audacity” to publicly make such statements. "In any other country, he would be arrested and tried," Gandhi added.

The Congress leader emphasised that suggesting India did not gain independence in 1947 was a direct insult to every Indian. "To say that India did not get Independence in 1947 is an insult to every single Indian,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He also called for an end to what he termed the repetitive and damaging rhetoric coming from Bhagwat and his followers. "It’s about time we stop listening to this nonsense," added the Rae Bareli MP.

The RSS Chief had claimed that while India received political independence in 1947, the true sense of freedom came only with the completion of the Ram Mandir. He argued that after independence, the Constitution created by the British did not truly reflect India’s spiritual essence. According to Bhagwat, the consecration of the Ram Mandir marked the realization of India’s "true independence." Bhagwat went on to suggest that the date of the Ram Mandir’s consecration should be commemorated as "Pratishtha Dwadashi," symbolizing the day India truly regained its independence after centuries of foreign invasions.

Mohan Bhagwat's contentious remarks stoked a massive political controversy; with leaders like Sanjay Raut of ​Shiv Sena (UBT) urging that the name of Ram Lalla should not be dragged into politics.