Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests across the country, saying the prime minister's "only job is to divide people and spread hate". He also hit out at PM Narendra Modi for "destroying Bharat mata's powers" with decisions like demonetisation and GST.

Addressing a rally in Guwahati in Assam, Rahul Gandhi said "PM Modi has destroyed Bharat mata's power with DeMo and GST" but "he would not speak on this".

"His [PM Modi] only job is to divide people and spread hate," Rahul Gandhi said.

India has witnessed a number of protests in Assam and other parts of the country ever since the Narendra Modi-led government brought in a law that aims to grant citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhist immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government has been at the receiving end of the criticism regarding the non-inclusion of the Muslim immigrants from the three said nations.

"PM Modi, you must answer how many people in Assam got jobs? You had promised jobs to two crore people. You people were made to stand outside banks and he [Modi] gave your money to some of the businessmen. Rs 1.40 lakh crore loan was waived off for some businessmen but I want to ask how many farmers in Assam got a loan waiver,"

Rahul Gandhi said, adding, "His only idea is to divide people and steal people's money to distribute it among his industrialist friends."

Rahul Gandhi also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of not listening to the "voice of the people" as protests against the Citizenship Act entered its third week.

"Before elections, I had predicted that if BJP comes to power, there will once again be violence in Assam. Sadly that has come true. I am afraid, that once again Assam may get embroiled in a cycle of violence under the BJP. Everyone will have to come together and tell the BJP that they cannot mount an assault on the culture and history of Assam," Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi said, "Where ever BJP goes, the party spreads hate."

"BJP doesn't want to listen to the voice of the youth, they are scared of you. They want to suppress your voice. Joblessness is at its highest in 40 years but your chief minister [Sarbananda Sonowal] doesn't speak about these issues," Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati: Wherever the BJP goes, it spreads hate. In Assam, youth is protesting, in other states protests happening as well. Why do you have to shoot and kill them? BJP doesn't want to listen to voice of people pic.twitter.com/Xr2f4zV9tM ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2019





He said the BJP and the RSS will not be allowed to attack the culture, language, and identity of Assam and the Northeast.

Without mentioning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in his speech, Rahul Gandhi said Assam will not be ruled by Nagpur or the "chaddi walas".

#WATCH Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati: Hum BJP aur RSS ko Assam ki history, bhasha ,sanskriti par akraman nahi karne denge. Assam ko Nagpur nahi chalayega, Assam ko RSS ke chaddi wale nahi chalayenge. Assam ko Assam ki janta chalayegi. pic.twitter.com/hzg4qaPRPv ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2019





"Assam will not be ruled by Nagpur. Assam won't be ruled by "chaddi walas. Assam will be ruled by the people of Assam. They failed to understand the people of the Northeast," Rahul Gandhi said.

After the Guwahati rally, Rahul Gandhi paid a floral tribute to the 17-year-old who died in alleged police firing during the recent violent incidents in the city. Sam Stafford, a student, died in an alleged police firing incident during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in Guwahati.

(With inputs from Hemanta Nath in Guwahati)