People will not let PM suppress 'Bharat Mata': Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, accusing him of spreading hatred and breaking the country, while warning that the people of the country will not let him attack the Constitution and suppress the voice of "Bharat Mata".

Gandhi said Modi's organisation had taught him how to break the country and spread hatred, he was the "number one in doing so" and the entire country knew that.

The Congress leader was addressing the gathering at the "Satyagraha for Unity", a protest rally organised against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC) as well as for expressing solidarity with the youth and students protesting against it.

He said Modi should tell the country why was he suppressing the voice of students, why were they not getting jobs and why did he destroy the country's economy, which was its strength.

"The enemies of the country tried their best to suppress its voice, stall its progress, demolish our strength -- our economy, but people stopped them. The work that our enemies could not do is being done by Narendra Modi. Our progress has stalled and the voice of the people has been suppressed," Gandhi said.

"You put pressure on the judiciary, lathicharge students, try to suppress the voice of people. You could not provide jobs and destroyed the economy, which was our strength, and that is why you are hiding behind hate," the former Congress chief said, hitting out at the prime minister.

"The country will not let you attack the Constitution, suppress the voice of 'Bharat Mata'," he said, while taking a dig at Modi.

Stating that the country was like a voice, Gandhi said the Preamble to the Constitution was read at the "Satyagraha for Unity" rally and it was the voice of the people.

"That voice fought against the British and made them flee the country and the same voice made the country's economy stand and without that voice, India cannot be," he added.

Hitting out at Modi for saying that those protesting on the streets against the CAA could be identified by their clothes, Gandhi said, "When it comes to clothes, the entire nation knows you because of your clothes. It was you who had worn the suit worth Rs two crore and not the people of the country."

"The voice of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians is in the Constitution and you cannot attack it. India will stop you," he said.

Gandhi said the voice at the "Satyagraha" was not that of the Congress party, but of the entire country, as he thanked people for participating in the protest.