New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday slammed Rahul Gandhi in a sharp but veiled attack saying that "those filled with hate are defaming India", in response to the latter's remarks in the United States on religious minorities' freedom including the Sikh community.

PM Modi made the remarks while speaking in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, where he inaugurated infrastructure projects worth Rs. 8,000 crore.

Without taking Gandhi's name, Modi said that "some people" are acting against the interests of the country.

"Some people, filled with negativity, are targeting India's unity. Those filled with hate are not leaving any chance to defame India and Gujarat... they want to do tukde, tukde (break-up) of the country," he said.

He also referred to the campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the first phase of voting, which will start on Wednesday and hit out at the Congress and its ally, the National Conference for promising to restore the erstwhile state's special status

The Congress and its ally promised to restore special status for J&K under Article 370, which was scrapped by the ruling BJP in August 2019, and also split J&K into two union territories.

Eyeing to strike an emotive chord with voters in J&K and other poll-bound states this year, including Haryana and Maharashtra, PM Modi said he had been insulted and mocked by the critics during the first 100 days of his third term, but he mentioned that "if I live for you... I will sacrifice myself for you."

Rahul Gandhi's comments in the US - at various public events, including those attended by Indian students and diaspora community members - have drawn flak from several union ministers, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

This is the first time Modi has given a reaction to the Congress leader's jabs.

Gandhi, while interacting with diaspora members, spoke about the fight with the BJP being an ideological divide over questions like "... is a Sikh allowed to wear a turban (or) kada (a steel bangle)?

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri slammed the remark pointing to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, after Gandhi's grandmother, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated.