India needs a bold prime minister who can hold everybody together -- be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or anybody -- not the one who divides people just for sake of politics, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Monday in a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at an event organised to unveil a book, titled "Furrows in a Field: The Unexplored Life of H D Deve Gowda", the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said India will become strong only when people of the country are strong.

"India needs a bold prime minister, a prime minister who can hold everybody together, not divide (people) for politics, but hold India, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, anything (together). India doesn't need divisions, he said while praising former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's term as the 12th prime minister of the country for his approach towards Jammu and Kashmir and its people.

Gowda was present at the event.

"Tragedy is that every election has divided India and Indian people," Abdullah said, wondering "when will the day come when no longer will we be divided because of religion .

The NC leader said he is a Muslim and has respect for all other religions as much as he has for his own religion.

"What is wrong with it?" he asked, adding "but look at the governance today, how we are segregated into small corners. And, then we want to make a strong India .

India will "never" be strong unless the people of India are strong, Abdullah said.

"May this dark cloud pass away and we see a flourishing India -- India for all, not just for one," he said wishing long life to Gowda.

Speaking at the event, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury praised Gowda for his contributions, recalling how the United Front government was formed under his leadership as prime minister in 1996.

"These times today looks surreal, unreal. That milieu and values have regressed so far away....It is not individuals that matter but larger society."

The event was attended by Gowda's son and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, BSP's Danish Ali and other dignitaries. Eminent jurist Fali S Nariman, who unveiled the book, joined the event virtually.