Slowdown happening as Modi 'does not know economics': Rahul

Addressing his second rally in Haryana, in the Ahirwal region - seen as a BJP citadel, ahead of the October 21 Assembly elections, the former Congress President warned that the economic situation will become worse and "big corporates will run away like Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi".

Citing the lack of jobs and the rising farmers distress, he said: "The fate of country is known to you... unemployment is highest in the country in last 45 years.

If you ask business men, either small or medium, everybody will say that demonetisation and GST has ruined them."

"If Nyay (the Congress proposal for a universal basic income in the 2019 polls) had been implemented, then the things would have been better, but Haryana has a chance to vote for the Congress," Gandhi added.

He said that Modi had assured that farmers' loans would be written off but it has not happened, but the government has "written off loans of corporates to tune of Rs 5.5 lakh crore".

"More than Rs 1 lakh crore have been given as tax rebate to corporates. But he (Modi) will not give money to the poor," he added.

Gandhi said that under the Congress-led UPA, India was competing with the US and China, but "now India's image has been dented due to the BJP's policies".

"Their sole aim is to divide people and fight each other," he said, stressing that a "divided India can't march ahead".

Gandhi also criticised the media, saying that they "do not give the real picture to the people".