Will tackle Narendra Modi's hate with love: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi

A day after surprising the Prime Minister with a hug, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he would tackle Narendra Modi's "hate and fear" with love and compassion.

"The point of yesterday's debate in Parliament...Prime Minister uses hate, fear and anger in the hearts of some of our people to build his narrative. We are going to prove that love and compassion in the hearts of all Indians is the only way to build a nation," Gandhi tweeted.

The no-confidence motion against the Modi government was defeated in the Lok Sabha after a 12-hour long heated debate which saw the treasury and opposition benches trade charges.

But what stole the show was the moment when Gandhi, after a blistering speech, walked over to hug a surprised Prime Minister.

He said love and tolerance, not hatred and lynchings, was the way forward for India.

"I have not an iota of hatred or hard feelings against you. You hate me. You may call me Pappu, you can use a stream of expletives for me. But I don't hate you or have even slightest of anger for you. I am the Congress," Gandhi said at the end of his nearly 40-minute fiery speech.

Modi hit out at him accusing the Congress chief of arrogance, negativity, childish conduct and a burning desire to become Prime Minister.

Modi said he was extending best wishes to the Congress and other opposition parties to bring another no-confidence motion in 2024.

The Prime Minister replying to the debate on no-confidence motion, moved by the TDP, against the government in the Lok Sabha, said the Congress lacked self-confidence and had no faith in the Chief Justice of India, Election Commission, Electronic Voting Machines, Reserve Bank of India and programmes like Swachh Bharat.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates