"Dangerous thing to say": Mamata Banerjee condemns RSS Chief Bhagwat's remarks

Howrah (West Bengal) [India], January 17 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly condemned RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's remark that India gained "true independence" after the Ram Temple consecration, calling it "dangerous".
Banerjee said, "It is not right to forget the history of our independence like this...I think this is a dangerous thing to say...This should be withdrawn. May our independence live long. We should celebrate our freedom fighters. So many young people gave their lives. Will they forget the entire history of the country like this?"
She further expressed concern about the implications of such remarks on India's national identity: "What will the identity of the country be then? It seems they will forget even the name of India. Is it correct? I think it is wrong. India, Hindustan, Bharat will go on forever. We are proud of Independence Day, Republic Day. I strongly condemn him...We are dedicated to the country, we are dedicated to keep our independence intact. We are ready to sacrifice our life for the country but we are not going to tolerate that."
On Monday, Mohan Bhagwat said that India witnessed true independence on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Bhagwat addressing a gathering at an event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore said, "The true independence of India, which had faced many centuries of persecution, was established on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. India had gained independence but it was not established."
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also condemned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarksand called it an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and the Constitution, and demanded an apology from Bhagwat.
Speaking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh said, "Mohan Bhagwat keeps giving such statements on many topics, without any meaning. What he has said is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and to the Constitution that Baba Saheb Ambedkar had made, this is an attack on it. Mohan Bhagwat should definitely apologize for it. This is anti-national." (ANI)