Rahul Gandhi also said the Congress speaks the truth (File)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "sleeping elephant" remark made during the Independence Day speech, saying he was "arrogant" and had insulted every Indian and his ancestors by belittling contribution of people who worked for the country's progress in the last 70 years.

Addressing an event on Saturday, organised by the Indian Overseas Congress, Mr Gandhi also slammed PM Modi over the Rafale deal, saying he could not answer his questions in parliament on the issue.

Mr Gandhi termed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah a "murder accused".

He said it will be wrong to say that progress achieved by the country in the last 70 years had been brought by the Congress as people of country had worked for it and the party had only helped the process.

He said those who predicted that India will break were now saying it is the country that will show the future.

"How did this happen. Congress only helped but people of India did it. Congress brought people together, your parents did it, your ancestors did it by working in the fields and when the Prime Minister says that before he came nothing happened in this country, he is not saying this about Congress, he is insulting every Indian, his parents, grand parents. But the media is with him.

"I was sitting during his Independence Day address. He said before the national flag that before he came, India was a sleeping elephant and he woke it up. How much arrogance he has. The Prime Minister of India cannot understand if India has strength, it is not due to an individual, if sweat has been given, it has been given by farmers, small businessmen, industrialists, judges, everybody together," Mr Gandhi said.

He also said Congress speaks the truth.

Mr Gandhi said Congress was started by NRIs or non-resident Indians and described Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, B.R. Ambedkar as NRIs.

"They went out, saw the world, thought in a fresh way and then helped the country. You are following their footsteps," he said.

Mr Gandhi said if NRIs were asked about their religion, caste when they arrived first at the airport here and told that they will not get anything and cannot serve the country, how they would have felt.

"This is what is happening in India. If you are Dalit, tribal, farmer, poor, you won't get anything. If you speak more, you will be beaten. India is being changed, its power is being weakened", he said, adding that institutions such as the Supreme Court, Election Commission and RBI are being destroyed.

Mr Gandhi said PM Modi remained silent when diamond trader Nirav Modi escaped, when the Supreme Court judges talked about Judge Loya's death and when a BJP lawmaker was accused of rape.

He said "made in China" stuff was flooding the Indian market and he wanted to see local places shine as manufacturing hubs.

Mr Gandhi said loans of industrialists have been waived but PM Modi was not willing to give farm loan waiver.