Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Centre of mishandling the country's economy, He said, the nation was at a ''critical crossroad'' and the Congress, as a major opposition party, has a moral duty to fight the forces that threaten the very idea of India.

Joining a function organised virtually on the occasion of inauguration of the District Congress Committee office in this north Kerala district, Rahul said- ''Modi Government has clearly mishandled the economy. And, what this country has built over the last 70 years, is being given away to select few friends of Modi-ji''. He said, Congress party was not against privatisation but its privatisation plan had a logic. ''We didn't privatise strategic industries: for example, Railways which is the backbone of India. Congress party must oppose this fire sale of our crown jewels at every level,'' Gandhi said, slamming the Centre's Rs 6 lakh crore National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) that included unlocking value by involving private companies across infrastructure sectors – from passenger trains and railway stations to airports, roads and stadiums.

The Congress leader alleged that while farmers, labourers, small traders and informal sector, MSMEs, contract workers, salaried class and honest industrialists are being demonetised, four-five friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being monetised.

Attacking the Centre over rising prices of fuel, Gandhi said the government has come up with a new concept of GDP, wherein a rise in GDP means a rise in prices of Gas, Diesel and Petrol.

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