Amid outrage over incidents of violence in public institutions, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go the universities and speak with the students on the state of economy and joblessness. Speaking to media after the Congress-led opposition meeting on the Citizenship Amendment Act in New Delhi today, Gandhi said the government is "dividing nation" to divert attention from the failing economy. "Narendra Modi should stand up and have the courage to speak to the youngsters of these universities on why the economy has become a disaster, why has it become a basket case and why unemployment in India is at its highest in 50 years. "Unfortunately, the prime minister of the country does not have the guts to do this," PTI quoted Gandhi as saying. He alleged that since the prime minister is afraid of a dialogue with the students, he is crushing them using the police. "I challenge the prime minister to go to any of the universities, stand over there without his police, without his infrastructure and tell the people what is he going to do with this country," the Congress leader said. "PM Modi is doing biggest disservice to the nation by distracting and dividing people of India," he added. In the meeting today, which was attended by leaders of 20 parties, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah-led government stood exposed for its inability to govern and provide security to people in the wake of widespread protests against the amended Citizenship Act and the violence on campuses. Gandhi said the government has let loose reign of oppression and is spreading hatred in order to divide people along sectarian lines. “There’s unprecedented turmoil. The constitution is being undermined and instruments of governance being misused,” she said. The opposition parties adopted a resolution demanding the withdrawal of CAA and immediate stoppage of the proposed nationwide NRC and NPR.
