Datia (Madhya Pradesh), Oct 15 (IANS): Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at Narendra Modi, accusing the Prime Minister of insulting the people of India.

"The Prime Minister said from the ramparts of the Red Fort that the nation had been asleep for 70 years," he said here ahead of next month's Assembly election in Madhya Pradesh. "This is an insult to every section of the society."

On August 15, Modi had criticized the Congress that has ruled for long years since India's Independence in 1947. He had said that India was earlier a sleeping elephant, which had woken up and started running.

President Donald Trump finds India and China competing with the US, Gandhi said at a public meeting here. "We have reached this stage because of the contribution of farmers, workers, small businessmen and women over the past 70 years."

He called the Modi government at the Centre a "government of the country's top 15 businessmen".

"The Centre is not ready to waive off loans of farmers but has done so for 15 top businessmen. The Congress had waived off farmers' loans," Gandhi added.

The Congress leader reached Gwalior by a special plane on Monday and then went to the Pitambara Peeth temple in Datia, accompanied by party leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Madhya Pradesh goes to polls on November 28.