'He would be arrested in any other country': Rahul Gandhi slams RSS chief's Ram temple independence remarks

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for the latter's remarks that the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya be celebrated as the day of true Independence of India.

Speaking at the inauguration of Indira Gandhi Bhavan, the new Congress headquarters on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi said Bhagwat's remarks amounted to "treason and in any other country he would have been arrested and tried for this."

Bhagwat was speaking in Indore on Tuesday night after presenting the "National Devi Ahilya Award" to Champat Rai, general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Bhagwat said the date of consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be celebrated as "Pratishtha Dwadashi" as the "true independence" of Bharat, which faced "parachakra" (enemy attack) for several centuries, was established on this day.

Bhagwat said India got political independence from the British on August 15, 1947 and after this a written Constitution was drafted as per a specific vision that flows from the consciousness of "self" -- pride -- of the country.

"But the Constitution was not run according to the spirit of that vision at that time," said Bhagwat.

He said the date of consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be celebrated as "Pratishtha Dwadashi" as the "real, true independence" of Bharat, which faced "parachakra" (enemy invasions) for centuries, came on this day.

Rahul slammed Bhagwat saying the RSS chief had the audacity to inform the nation every two or three days what he thought about the independence movement.

"What he has said yesterday is treason because it is stating the constitution is invalid, the fight against the British was invalid and he has the audacity to say this publicly. In any other country he would have been arrested and tried. That is the fact.

To say India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian and it is about time we stop listening to this nonsense that these people think they can just keep parroting out," said Rahul, who spoke before Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on the occasion of new AICC headquarters inauguration.