Country needs 'progressive leader' in face of 'autocratic' rule: Cong

Just ahead of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's address at the Kampnagel Theater, Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg, Germany, the party today said India needed a "progressive leader" in the face of "autocratic governance" prevalent in the country.

Gandhi, who reached Hamburg today as part of a four-day tour to the United Kingdom and Germany, met Niels Annen, the Minister of State and a member of Bundestag, the German federal parliament.

"In the face of increasingly autocratic governance pervading the country, it is imperative that space is created for a progressive leader who embraces diversity, not represses it, a leader that understands the aspirations of Indians and not deceives the people with lies and propaganda," the Congres said on its website.

Earlier, in a tweet put out from the Congress' official Twitter handle, the party said that upon his arrival, Gandhi and Annen discussed Indian and German politics, the devastating floods in Kerala, the GST and jobs.

Gandhi is likely to interact with the Indian diaspora and meet foreign dignitaries in both the countries.

During the visit, as a part of the party's NRI outreach programme, Gandhi is also likely to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, sources said.

In Germany, he will address two meetings at Hamburg and Berlin.

Minutes from now, Gandhi will deliver a speech at Kampnagel Theater, Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg. Tomorrow, he will address the Indian Overseas Congress in Berlin.

He will then visit the UK, where he will address an event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress in collaboration with local Indian-origin parliamentarians.