The Prime Minister was replying to a discussion on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha and Rahul Gandhi was speaking in a debate on 'intolerance' in the Lok Sabha.

"There are many excuses to be divided, but we should look for reasons to be united," PM Modi said in the Rajya Sabha or upper house. He flew back this morning after attending the Paris Climate Change summit.

The prime minister struck a conciliatory note, beginning his speech with a reference to the involvement of Congress leaders in drafting the Constitution.

In the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi ripped into the government as he listed examples of alleged intolerance. "Today in India, protest means sedition," he said, also questioning what he called the PM's silence on the killing of three rationalists in Maharashtra.

The Congress vice president attacked union minister and former army chief General VK Singh for his 'dog' comments linked to the death of two Dalit children in Haryana. "Gen VK Singh likened Dalit children to dogs but the PM allows him to continue as minister as if nothing happened," he said.

Replying to the Lok Sabha debate, Home Minister Rajnath Singh called the 1947 Partition, the Emergency and the 1984 riots the "three worst cases of intolerance." In protest, members of the Congress, Left and Trinamool Congress walked out.

Earlier, the BJP's Kirron Kher had accused the Congress of the same intolerance that the main opposition party is now campaigning against. "You are the intolerant ones... for 65 years this country has tolerated misrule and corruption...If the country tolerated it for so many years then we can tolerate anything," said the actor-lawmaker.

Congress lawmaker and former union minister Shashi Tharoor targeted PM Modi, wondering "where his voice has gone" after becoming Prime Minister. "Has he forgotten the politics of taking everyone along after becoming prime minister?" Mr Tharoor questioned.

Incidents like the killing of rationalists, mob attacks over cow slaughter and beef-eating rumours and controversial pronouncements by members of the BJP or groups linked to it have been held up by opposition parties as examples of growing intolerance under the current regime.