'Modi ji needs love', says Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs love, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday while recalling the moment when he hugged the leader in Parliament during the Monsoon Session last year.

"If somebody hates you, go and hug that person. Believe me, it's magic. Talk to that person nicely and then see what happens. When I hugged Modi ji, I felt that he was surprised to see that he too was loved. I don't hate Modi ji. I hugged Modi ji to end hatred. The reality is Modi ji needs love," Rahul said while interacting with the university students at 'Shiksha, Disha aur Dasha' event in Delhi.

On February 13, in his last speech in the 16th Lok Sabha, Modi took a dig at Gandhi while referring to the hug the Congress President gave to him in House in July last year during the No-Confidence Motion.

"For the first time, I understood the difference between hugging and piling on," Modi had quipped. Gandhi, after making a speech, had walked across the House and hugged a seated Modi, to his utter surprise.

Meanwhile, Rahul also blamed the Modi government for rising anger among people. He asserted that the Congress is trying to change the culture of politics in the country.

"Nothing can be solved by violence. It can only be solved with love. If you look at the history of this country and look at the philosophy of Gandhi, Mahaveer, Buddha, Ashoka, they all preached love and non-violence. This was the same philosophy when I hugged Modi ji, while he was abusing me and my family," Rahul said.

He added that the leadership should guide the nation.

"If the Prime Minister condemns the atmosphere of hatred, then, naturally the anger in the nation will reduce. According to me, the leadership should guide the nation," Rahul said.