Bhopal, May 22 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath on Monday said that the country was passing through a challenging phase under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the country was faced with farmers' suicides.

The Congress leader was speaking at a function held here to pay tribute to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 27th death anniversary.

Kamal Nath said: "The challenge during the days of Rajiv Gandhi was to connect India with the contemporary world. When he talked about taking the country into the 21st century and introducing computers, people laughed.

"But today, we can't even think of living without computers and mobile phones... all this has become possible on account of the futuristic thinking of Rajiv Gandhi."

Referring to the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, he said: "It's time of farmers' suicide. Madhya Pradesh is today number one in terms of farmers' suicides not just in India but globally.

"The youths are jobless, women are insecure and children are malnourised. Gloom in the agricultural sector is at its peak. Every section of society is feeling harassed and cheated."

Former Minister Suresh Pachauri and a large number of Congress leaders and workers were present on the occasion.