'There are 2 Indias-one for poor and one for rich': Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi govt in Lok Sabha

"There are now two Indias – one for the poor and one for the rich. The chasm between these two Indias is increasing continuously," he said in the Parliament, during a debate on the presidential address.

Directing his speech to his "friends in the government," Rahul Gandhi said that the spirit of "what I am saying is not of criticism but the spirit with which I speak is one of discomfort with the state of our country."

A day after the Union Budget was presented, the Congress MP said, "There is a 46% drop in manufacturing jobs in India, why? Because you have destroyed the unorganised sector, you have destroyed the MSMEs, you are completely focused on 5-10 people."

"I don't have a problem with big industries, focus on them but please realise that they cannot produce jobs for you. Small and medium industries are the only ones which can produce jobs in the country," he said in a scathing attack on PM Modi who is often criticised for 'luring' the industrialists.

"Poor India is seeing that 100 richest people have more assets than 55 crore of them. BJP did this... Modi ji has done this," said the former Congress President.

Gandhi said India is described as a Union of States. "What does that means? It means that my brother from Tamil Nadu has the same right as my sister from Maharashtra, the same right as my brothers & sisters from UP, Bihar, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram & all states," he added.

Gandhi accused the ruling BJP of bringing back the idea of a "king of India" that was "smashed in 1947".

"You will never ever in your life rule over the people of Tamil Nadu. No matter what fantasies you have, you will never ever rule over the people of a state of India," he said as he spoke on cooperative federalism, "conversation and negotiation".

"The only way India has been ruled - look at any empire you want, you can look at Ashoka the great, you can look at the Mauryas, you can look at anyone you want - has always been through conversations and negotiations," he said.

On the subject of employment, the Congress leader said: "Far from providing employment, 3 crore of our youth lost their jobs last year alone. India now has the highest unemployment rate in 50 years. The youth are not getting employment and existing jobs are being taken away."

He alleged that the judiciary, election commission and pegasus are instruments that are being used today for destroying the voice of the people of states.