Dehradun | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of working to further external interests, claiming that the central government was "systematically dismantling" critical socio-economic protections.

Addressing a public rally in Uttarakhand's Almora via phone, Rahul accused the central government of being involved in the 'looting' of the state's natural resources.

"The team of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has destroyed the economic foundation established by the Congress party, which was aimed at empowering the common man. Demonetisation has taken away the money you kept at home for emergencies, and the GST has harmed small businesses across the country," Rahul stated.

Rahul postponed his scheduled visit to Almora and returned to the Pantnagar airport midway after his helicopter encountered severe weather conditions.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha later addressed the public rally, titled 'Parivartan ka Shankhnaad', over a phone call facilitated by Congress general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja.

Though a major portion of Gandhi's address over the phone was not clearly audible, he apologised to the people gathered in Almora for his inability to reach the venue and promised that he would visit them again soon.

"I was scheduled to arrive this morning. However, while we were travelling by the helicopter, the pilot informed us that the weather had deteriorated and we would have to return to Pantnagar," Gandhi said.

Addressing the public, the Congress leader alleged that the vision behind the creation of Uttarakhand was being undermined. He said the people of the state had envisioned a future where they retained self-determination rather than being governed by external forces.

"The Constitution states that India, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. You made immense sacrifices to form this state. Regrettably, Uttarakhand is not being managed by its own people today; it is being operated via remote control from Delhi," he said.

He further alleged that outsiders are exploiting the natural resources of the state, depriving the local population of the benefits.

Gandhi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the central government of "systematically dismantling" critical socio-economic protections. He highlighted four specific areas where he claimed these protections had eroded.

Firstly, he alleged that household savings and gold held by the public had been diminished.

Secondly, he stated that small and medium enterprises, particularly in the textile and food processing sectors, had been devastated by the flawed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Thirdly, the Congress leader criticised the current foreign policy alignment, claiming that India's energy security is now constrained by external geopolitical pressures.

"Today, we can only purchase oil from countries approved by America. This crucial protection has been dismantled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," he alleged.

Gandhi cited geopolitical tensions, noting that during the conflict between Iran and the United States, the Strait of Hormuz was subsequently closed.

He further claimed that the Modi government has undermined both agriculture and education in the country, while the nation's foreign policy has become subservient to the United States.

"Currently, the conflict between America and Iran is creating a potential economic tsunami for a country like India, yet the Modi government is focused on serving the interests of America and a handful of wealthy businessmen in our country," he said.

Lastly, he claimed that the agricultural protection system for farmers had been weakened, alleging that the prime minister is "working to further external interests rather than national priorities." Rahul also claimed that the current Dhami government is not prioritising the interests of the state.

The public meeting, held with the upcoming assembly elections in mind, was attended by many senior state leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Yashpal Arya and former chief minister Harish Rawat.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in Uttarakhand on Thursday morning on a two-day visit to the state. During the tour, he is scheduled to travel across both the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to address public rallies, meet party workers and interact with the families of ex-servicemen.