Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview with News Nation on Saturday, 11 May went viral for all the wrong reasons. His comments on clouds helping in Balakot air strikes and of sending emails and clicking digital photographs in 1988 received a lot of flak.
In addition to that, a video clip from the interview that was widely circulated on social media also suggested that the PM had the questions in the interview beforehand.
Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi was also interviewed by Deepak Chaurasia of News Nation, on Monday 13 May.
And he used the opportunity to take a jibe at PM’s ‘scripted interview’. Rahul was asked about Priyanka Gandhi’s statement that the elections in UP will be fought on issues of demonetisation and GST.
Chaurasia goes on to say, “We asked the same question to Prime Minister Modi two days ago when we interviewed him and he said that UP had an election after demonetisation and BJP won by 3/4th majority.”
To this, Rahul Gandhi replied, “Was this answer written on the paper that Modiji was holding?”
Chaurasia tries to defend this by saying, “The paper had only the poem.”
But Rahul corrects him, saying, “There were questions too on the paper. The entire internet saw it.”
He also adds towards the end that the channel can choose to edit this part of the interview if they “did not like it or are scared.”
The clip was shared by many Twitter users to show the contrast between interviews of Modi and Rahul.
National media coordinator for the Congress Rachit Seth tweeted the clip and said, “In which @RahulGandhi takes Modiji to the cleaners on his "Note-Sheet" Interview.”
Twitter user The DeshBhakt posted video clips from both the interviews and said, “Surprisingly there is no stack of papers that #DeepakChaurasia is holding while interviewing @RahulGandhi .”
He also said, “And no questions on Khana / Batua / Kitchen / Poems?”
One Twitter user said Rahul Gandhi destroyed both Narendra Modi and Deepak Chaurasia.
Jouralist Seema Goswami said, “Rahul Gandhi has given so many TV interviews. But not 1 anchor has asked him if he writes poetry, likes mangoes, can cook, has dieted, carries a wallet, what his exercise regime is.”
Others congratulated Rahul Gandhi for saying the truth.
Modi has been accused of doing scripted interviews earlier. He has also been criticised for not holding press conferences during his tenure as prime minister.
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