Cong fighting BJP, RSS, Indian state itself: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said his party was fighting the “BJP, RSS and the Indian state itself”, triggering a row with the BJP alleging that everything the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha does or says is in the direction of breaking India and dividing the society.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters here, Rahul Gandhi also hit out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, saying his remark that India got “true independence” after the Ram temple consecration amounts to treason and is an insult to every Indian.

“Do not think that we are fighting a fair fight. There is no fairness in this. If you believe that we are fighting a political organisation called the BJP, that we are fighting a political organisation called the RSS, you have not understood what is going on. 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,” he said addressing Congress leaders.

The remark drew sharp criticism from the BJP, with party chief and Union minister J P Nadda saying the Congress’ “ugly truth” has been exposed by its own leader. Nadda alleged on X that it is not a secret that Gandhi and his ecosystem have close links with urban Naxals and the deep state who want to “defame, demean and discredit” India. “’Hidden no more, Congress’ ugly truth now stands exposed by their own leader,” Nadda said.

“I ‘compliment’ Mr. Rahul Gandhi for saying clearly what the nation knows- that he is fighting the Indian state!” he said, alleging that the Congress has a history of encouraging forces that want to weaken India. Everything he has done or said has been in the direction of breaking India and dividing our society, Nadda alleged.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman said, “The LoP, who was sworn in by taking oath on the Constitution, is now saying, ‘We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself.’ So, @INCIndia and @RahulGandhi, what for are you carrying a copy of the Constitution in your hand?”

Addressing party leaders at Indira Gandhi Bhawan, Gandhi said they are fighting this battle of ideologies under difficult circumstances where institutions have been “captured” by the BJP and the RSS and investigative agencies are being used against opposition leaders. He also hit out at the Election Commission and alleged there is a “serious problem” with the country’s election system and the poll body needs to come clean on the issue of voter lists in Maharashtra and Haryana elections.

He said the Congress was getting its new headquarters at a time when the RSS chief has stated that India never achieved independence in 1947 and that true independence in India was achieved when the Ram mandir was built.