Modi ‘one such specimen’ who could explain how universe works to God; Parliament and sceptre a distraction: Rahul in US

Gandhi added that they (BJP leaders) think they can explain history to historians, science to scientists and warfare to the army.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has begun his six-day US tour with an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “one such specimen” who thinks he can explain to God how the universe works.

He said the new Parliament building inauguration and the “whole sceptre thing”, which included Modi’s prostration before the ‘Sengol’ are “distractions” from real issues like unemployment and price rise.

During the 'Mohabbat Ki Dukaan' event organised by Indian Overseas Congress USA in California’s Santa Clara on Tuesday, Rahul also said that India is not a “fair place” in terms of treatment of Dalits, tribals, poor and minorities and the Congress would work towards changing this situation.

Also Read — 'If you believe in anger...': Rahul's dig at BJP in US

His comments attracted a sharp retort with Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur claiming that Rahul always insults India when he is abroad and cannot digest Modi’s popularity in the international community.

In a sharp attack on the BJP, Rahul said all instruments needed to do political activity in India are controlled by the BJP-RSS. “We were also finding that in some way, it had become quite difficult to act politically. And that's why we decided to walk from the southernmost tip of India to Srinagar,” he said.

Taking on Modi, he said there are a group of people in India who are "absolutely convinced" that they know everything and that it is a "disease".

"The world is too big and complicated for any person to know everything…They think they know even more than God. In fact, they think they know even more than God. They can sit with God and explain to him what’s going on. And of course, our prime minister is one such specimen,” he said.

If you make Modi-ji sit with God, Rahul said, he would explain to God how the universe works and God will get confused about what he has created.

"They think they can explain history to historians, science to scientists, warfare to the Army, flying to the Air Force. Whatever they want, they can. And at the heart of it, it is mediocrity. They are not ready to listen," he said.

Referring to the Parliament inauguration, he said it is a "distraction" when the real issues are unemployment, price rise, the spread of anger and hatred, the crumbling education system, and the rise of the cost of education and health care. "BJP cannot discuss them. So they have to do the sceptre thing. All this lying down and all. Aren't you happy that I am not lying down?" he said.

Committing himself to support the demand for Caste Census, he said the idea behind the Caste Census conducted during UPA was to get an "X-Ray of Indian society", to know the exact demographics of the country. He demanded the release of Caste Census data and said when Congress comes to power, it is committed to carrying out the Caste Census.

Asked how the Congress could give hope to Muslims, he said the Sikhs, Christians, Dalits and tribals are feeling the same way the Muslims are feeling when it comes to attacks on them. Anybody who is poor in India today when they look at the concentration of wealth among a few people, he said.

"What is happening to Muslims today was happening to Dalits in the 1980s. If you went to UP in the 1980s, you would see Dalit communities facing the same problem. We have to challenge this, fight it and fight it with affection and not hatred," he added.