Rahul Gandhi stressed that the government cannot tackle economy without uniting people of the country.
The National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) are a "tax on poor people", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, redoubling his attack on the government. The country cannot be run without the involvement of every section of the society, he said at an event in Chhattisgarh.
"Earlier, the world used to say that India and China are growing at the same pace but now the world is seeing violence in India, women not feeling safe on the streets and rising unemployment," he said, speaking to reporters after the opening of a National Tribal Dance Festival at Raipur.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi "can't understand this and the country's time is being wasted," said the Congress MP.
The NPR, sanctioned by the government earlier this week, is seen by critics to be a precursor to the NRC, an exercise to identify illegal migrants. Activists, opposition parties and students protesting across the country fear that the NRC, along with the new citizenship law, will be used as tools to target Muslims.
"Whether it is NRC, NPR, it's a tax on poor people. Demonetisation was a tax on poor people - go to the bank, can't take money from your own account," Mr Gandhi said.
"Poor people will have to go to officers and show their documents and give bribe. They will have to give bribe if there is a slight mistake in their names. Crores of rupees will be pulled out of the pockets of the poor and will be given to the same 15 people. This is the truth. It is an attack on the people," he said.
He stressed that the government cannot tackle economy and unemployment without uniting people of the country.
The image of the country is being portrayed in bad light in the world, he said. "It is being talked about in the world that India is reeling under violence; women are not allowed to roam freely on roads and the unemployment rate is at a 45-year high. But PM Narendra Modi is not able to understand it."
"Apparently he is not able to understand what happened and how it happened," he said.
He alleged that the country's time is being wasted and that money is being given to "the 15 richest people."
"The entire capital went to their pockets from the market. Nobody is buying anything. Factories are getting closed. It is simple economics, there is nothing difficult here. But perhaps the Prime Minister is not able to understand this," Mr Gandhi said.
With inputs from agencies