Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned that a crisis like Sri Lanka’s would strike India, arguing the country’s economic and social realities cannot be kept hidden for ever.

“You can’t imagine what is about to come. The economic situation that may evolve in two-three years has never been witnessed in our country,” he said to a question about Sri Lanka.

“The system that generates jobs has been broken. The informal sector, the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), have been destroyed. Without MSMEs, jobs can’t be created.”

Rahul added: “The situation today is very disturbing. The country is being divided by spreading hatred. Our country has a history of peaceful coexistence. Without social harmony and peace, the economy will collapse. No jobs can be generated in social turmoil.”

Rahul said: “The BJP thinks we can develop this country by frightening, torturing people. That doesn’t happen.”

The Congress leader was talking to the media after visiting the veteran socialist Sharad Yadav, who has recovered from an illness that has kept him away from politics for years.

Yadav suggested Rahul become the Congress president immediately. Rahul did not rule it out but said it would be decided later.

Responding to media queries, Rahul said: “What is our reality? The RSS-BJP has suppressed the reality with the help of media. But nobody can escape the reality for ever.

“When the reality hits your survival, the media won’t be able to suppress the truth. The truth has come out in Sri Lanka. The truth will come out here as well.”

Rahul rued the government’s “total domination of the instruments of communication”.

“The media is controlled 100 per cent. Institutions like the CBI-ED suppress conversation. Other democratic institutions block conversation,” he said.

“The loudspeaker is with the government. Earlier everybody had the loudspeaker; now the Opposition doesn’t have it. This control has to be bypassed. This will be possible when the truth endangers your survival. The media’s amplifier will fail.”

Asked about Opposition unity, Rahul said: “All the parties opposed to the RSS-BJP should come together. What the framework of unity will be is being discussed.”

To a question on Ukraine, he said: “What Russia has done is that they have refused to accept the territoriality of Ukraine.”

He added: “China is applying the same principle on India. They are saying, ‘We are not accepting Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory’. The Modi government doesn’t accept this reality but that model is being used.”