New Delhi: A war of words has broken out between the BJP and the Congress over the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s frontal attack on the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Inaugurating the new party office in the national capital, Mr Gandhi hit out at Mr Bhagwat, saying that the RSS chief’s remark that India got Independence after the Ram temple was built “amounts to treason”. Mr Gandhi asserted that besides the BJP and the RSS, the Congress is “now fighting the Indian state itself”, giving the BJP an opportunity to hit back, claiming the Congress’ “ugly truth is out”.In his address to the Congress leaders, Mr Gandhi said that “in any other country, he (Mr Bhagwat) would have been arrested and tried”.“To say that India did not get Independence in 1947 is an insult to every single Indian and it’s about time we stop listening to this nonsense that these people think they can just keep parroting out and shouting and screaming,” the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said, adding, “The BJP and the RSS have captured every single institution of our country. We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself.”Joining Mr Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also condemned Mr Bhagwat’s remarks. “It is a matter of shame that even though we got Independence in 1947, they are not acknowledging it because they did not struggle for it, go to jail and therefore they do not remember. We remember because our people died for independence and struggled for it,” he said.Retaliating, the BJP claimed that by saying that the Congress’ “ugly truth” has been exposed. BJP president J.P. Nadda alleged on X that it is not a secret that Mr Gandhi and his ecosystem have close links with “urban naxals” and the “deep state” who want to “defame, demean and discredit” India. He said Mr Gandhi’s repeated actions have also strengthened this belief.”Everything he has done or said has been in the direction of breaking India and dividing our society, the BJP chief said.“Hidden no more, the Congress’ ugly truth now stands exposed by their own leader,” Mr Nadda said, adding, “I ‘compliment’ Mr Gandhi for saying clearly what the nation knows — that he is fighting the Indian state!”The BJP also attacked the Congress over the “choice of name” of its new headquarters. The saffron party claimed that naming it Indira Bhawan has clearly unmasked the fact that for the Congress only the “dynastic family comes first.”The Congress did dirty politics over the samman (honour) of (former PM) Manmohan Singh, but now, despite a huge demand to name their new headquarters after Manmohan Singh, they ignored him and named it after Indira Gandhi. Shameful mindset to abuse and insult the Sikh community and always practice ‘Family First’. Narsimha Rao Ji, Ambedkar Ji, Pranab Da and all stalwarts insulted by the Congress,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X.Reacting to the BJP attack, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said the name “Indira Bhawan” was accepted by all party leaders. “Indira Bhawan is accepted by all. No one from Manmohan Singh’s family has any objection to it,” he said.Veteran Congress leader Pawan Bansal said the name of the new Congress headquarters was decided 10 years ago. “Now there should be no controversy regarding the name,” he said.The Congress moved to its new headquarters on Kotla Road from 24, Akbar Road — which had been its home for nearly five decades and has witnessed the party’s political and electoral ups and downs.Sonia Gandhi, along with Mr Kharge, inaugurated the new office by cutting the ceremonial ribbon after the national anthem. Mr Gandhi and other senior functionaries were also present.
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