Fri Jan 17 15:16:23 UTC 2025: ## Congress Leader Condemns Bhagwat’s Remarks on Ayodhya Temple and Independence
**Mysuru, Karnataka – January 17, 2025** – Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Vice-President V.S. Ugrappa strongly criticized Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat for linking the construction of the Ayodhya temple to India’s independence. Ugrappa, speaking to the media on Friday, denounced Bhagwat’s comments as an insult to the lakhs of freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
He demanded that the central government take action against Bhagwat and questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue. Ugrappa highlighted the BJP’s tendency to scrutinize Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statements while ignoring what he considered a belittling of the freedom movement and an insult to the Constitution.
Ugrappa further asserted that the RSS, which he claimed played no part in the independence struggle, opposes the Constitution. He accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to distort the history of the Indian freedom movement. He dismissed BJP claims of an impending change in Karnataka’s Chief Ministership or the fall of the Congress government, stating that the Congress, with 138 assembly seats, is firmly in power and will complete its term. He reiterated the Congress’s demand for a caste census, urging the central government to conduct one alongside the population census.
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