Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, says BJP's divisive politics ruining India's reputation

New York: Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has said that the ruling BJP government's divisive politics is ruining the  country's reputation.

The Gandhi scion, while addressing a gathering at Times Square in New York, expressed concerns over rising intolerance and violence against members of the minority community across the country.

Rahul said that people around the globe are questioning that why tolerance level in India is reducing and where is that harmony which once prevailed.

Asserting that for 1000s of years, India has had a reputation of peace and harmony Gandhi noted that recently few forces which are trying to divide the nation are ruining nation's peaceful image.

"The single biggest thing most people told me and the questions raised outside India is what has happened to the tolerance that used to prevail in India? What has happened to the harmony in India? There are couple of challenges that India is facing. There is a divisive politics going on in India," the Congress leader said.

"For 1000s of years, India has had a reputation of peace and harmony. There are forces dividing India and ruining our reputation abroad. . And it is very dangerous for the country," he added.

Gandhi further said India comprises of people of various religions and all are living happily because of Congress and its ideas.

"Some people view India as a piece of Land, But I view India as a set of idea, we have many religions, many languages, every one of them living happily that is due to idea of Congress," he said.

Gandhi also averred that many countries facing violent times are looking towards India anticipating that India has the answer for peaceful coexistence in 21st century and that is why we cannot afford to lose our most powerful asset.

"The world is transforming and people are looking towards us. China is rising and we have relationship with the United States. Many countries in a violent world are looking towards India and are saying that may be India has the answer for peaceful coexistence in 21st century. So we cannot afford to lose our most powerful asset. Our most powerful asset is that 1.3 billion people lived happily, non-violently and peacefully. India belongs to all of us, and that is what the Congress Party is," the young Congress leader said.