In a speech to business leaders at a FICCI event, he said without naming BJP that it was a party built on "divisive ideology full of hatred, arrogance and misguided notions of superiority" and juxtaposed Congress' mission as "anchored in an ancient Indian idea - an idea where humanity is united in love, compassion and harmony".
He pitched Congress as the champion of the idea of India which is "living in harmony, not in hatred, thriving in peace not suffocating in conflict".
"What our people understood intuitively, but the Europeans of the 1930s did not, was that wealth cannot be constructed on poverty. Peace cannot be constructed on conflict. Societies cannot be built on injustice and hatred," Gandhi said.
Congress' vision of India, the party Vice President said, is of a country whose economy would be the largest in the world, second to none. "Our vision is also of an India which would have deepened its democracy to the grassroots and have power devolved to lowest levels".
Reeling under the drubbing in recent assembly polls in four states, Gandhi said the people's message needs to be accepted with foresight and humility without any resort to the "usual props of statistical data and excuse-making".
He said Congress has the ability to "rise from adversity" by "listening to voices we represent".
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