Tweeples enjoy when Rahul’s ‘Frankly Speaking’ turned into Frankly 'Spanking’
By Milind Arolkar
Mumbai, January 28: Being accountable and responsible has never been Rahul Gandhi’s cup of tea. When it comes to accept responsibility for losing any election, a large number of his party men & women volunteer martyrdom to save him from the taint; similarly when it comes to announce a Prime Ministerial candidate for his party, when it needs most, his mother comes forward to safeguard his political future. Rahul’s much hyped and timely managed “First ever TV interview” on Times Now channel was again a revising of those very facts.
The ‘Times Now’ channel told its viewers not to miss the first ever interview of Rahul Gandhi. An uncomfortable Rahul Gandhi with all kinds of odd questions aimed at him, which he never thought of, left him in murmuring – “I was not there at that time”.
Most pathetic part of Rahul’s “Frankly Speaking” was that of the question on Gujarat riots.
The Tweeples enjoyed every bit of Rahul’s ‘Frankly Speaking’ when it turned in ‘frankly spanking’ by Arnab Goswami.
Rahul’s some weakest moments
TW Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami informed Rahul that the CM of Gujarat has been given a clean chit by the courts. Rahul said that the difference between the 84 riots and the riots in Gujarat was that in 1984 the Government was trying to stop the riots.
He said, “I remember, I was a child then, I remember the Government was doing everything it could to stop the riots. In Gujarat the opposite was the case. The Government in Gujarat was actually abetting and pushing the riots further. So there is a huge difference between the two things, saying that innocent people dying is absolutely wrong.”
On this absurd explanation when Arnab asks: Explain that. Government of Gujarat was aiding and abetting the riots is what you just said, explaining that?
See what Rahul says: “I mean it's not me...it's the large number of people who were there, large number of people who saw actively the Government of Gujarat being involved in the riots.”
Arnab : You will keep that line despite the CM getting a clean chit form the courts?
Rahul : I mean, people saw it. I am not the person who saw it, your colleague saw it. Your colleagues told me
Arnab : They saw the riots?
Rahul : The saw the administration actively attacking minorities
Arnab: What are you saying? Can you explain?
Rahul : I am saying that there was difference between the 1984 riots and the riots in Gujarat. The difference was that the Government in 1984 was trying to stop the riots, trying to stop the killing whereas the Government in Gujarat was allowing the riots to happen.
Rahul’s entire interview is full of such gaffe comments. At a moment of grilling him over the 1984 Sikh riots, Rahul ‘frankly’ announces that the Congressmen were actually involved in 1984 Anti Sikh riots.
Arnab : Were Congressmen involved?
Rahul : Did innocent people die? Absolutely
Arnab : Were Congressmen involved?
Rahul : Some Congress men were probably involved
Arnab : Has justice been delivered to them?
Rahul : There is a legal process through which they have gone through
Arnab : You admit some Congressmen were probably involved
Rahul : Some congressmen have been punished for it.
Tweeples attack the Frank Speaking
The Social media is vibrantly commenting on Rahul’s ‘Hilarious’ interview. Some have congratulated Arnab Goswami for his balancing acts to keep his cool for eighty minutes while Rahul was speaking. Some say- Every time Congress tries to dig a grave for Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi jumps into it. Some have appealed to dedicate a minute of silence for all the Congress politicians who will be spending the next few weeks defending Rahul Gandhi.
Tweeples used Rahul’s interview as an opportunity to exhibit their literary skills. Cracking jokes about the repeated use of ‘fundamental’, ‘RTI’, ‘women’s empowerment’ by Gandhi, many slammed Rahul Gandhi for evading ‘specific question’.
Also Read: A political hara-kiri live on small screen
Mainstream media avoided but Social Media has pointed out and exposed the Congress vice president for sticking to certain phrases whatever may be the question. The Twitter hash tags #RahulSpeaksToArnab, #ArnabVsRahul, #Pappu are pouring with sarcastic mentions with minute details and contradictions in Rahul’s interview.
Comparing Rahul’s interview with comedy shows, @aadityas60011m writes #RahulSpeaksToArnab interview of Rahul Gandhi was last night that comedy nights with Rahul.....
Twipple Saswati Sarkar is seems so annoyed that she tweets @sarkar_swati Arnab & Rahul are of same biological age, roughly - the intellectual age seemed generations apart. Further she says: There was a Pakora prep, and then the interview - and still RG flopped? I doubt if Chinese premier will extend such courtesy!.
Saswati refers an article of The Telegraph in which it claims the Telegraph claims that- “Congress leadership wanted to ensure that Rahul’s “outing” should be with a journalist who has a reputation for being unsparing. An off-the-record session between Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Goswami, over pakoras and tea, also helped pave the ground for the interview.”
Similarly @anayjoglekar says #rahulgandhi interview reminds me movie HUM in which drunk Amitabh tells his friend Gonsalves that दुनियामे दो टाइपके कीड़े होते है।
Some interesting tweets
- @UnderdogMafia3m His answers-elusive. His eyes-evasive. Your tongue can lie but your sweat glands can't. The choice just became easier. #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @Sinceere_Angel12m A disease found in Congress in which they have to defend Rahul Gandhi whenever he opens his mouth & when not.
- @kabeer_who20m Rahul Gandhi’s interview reminded me of the Azharuddin days. Commentator: How is the pitch? Azhar: The boys played well #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @metaphor32m Thank god Arnab did not ask: "What is your full name?" The response would have been: RTI, Women Empowerment, Youth! #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @rameshnswamy2h BREAKING: Mira Kabir to file a case is SC against Arnab & @timesnow under Juvenile Law for harassing a minor #rahulspeakstoarnab
- @amishra7711h Rahul Gandhi normally visits those affected by huge natural disasters. When is he visiting himself? #RahulSpeaksToArnab
Some Tweets have raised questions over Rahul’s statements on serious issues.
- @nanditathhakur40m Rahul Gandhi should name which congress leaders he thinks were involved 1984 Sikh genocide #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @minhazmerchant1h Corrected tweet: 1. In 2002 750 Muslims & 254 Hindus died. In 1984 3,000 Sikhs & 0 Hindus died. Riot? Pogrom? #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @PathanAsmakhan3h Knock knock Mr. #Pappu... Gujarat Govt. was NOT INVOLVED IN RIOTS ! Rahul is disrespecting Supreme Court ! #RahulSpeaksToArnab"
- @KartikeyaTanna3h Did Rahul actually say Modi involved in 2002 because some journalists told him so? Anybody remembers his exact words? #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @thevijayyadav2m RT I got reminded of my engineering college days..... Didn't study..... Gave dumb answers...... And still passed!!! #RahulSpeaksToArnab
- @Nikita_Sharma873m Arnab Goswami To #pApPu:Whats The Capital of China? Rahul Gandhi: Women Empowerment, Power Concentration, System Needs Change #ArnabVsRahul
- @ankurbillore4m Funniest part was #pappu asking Arnab about #Cambridge and #oxford. I#RahulSpeaksToArnab
One tweet says, “Dear Arnab #ihaveaquestion How did you control your laughter while interviewing Rahul Gandhi.”
Sudhir tailang via @sudhirtailang writes: Had they telecast this interview before 26 Jan--Rahul would have got the Brave Children award! #RahulSpeakstoArnab interview on #TimesNow.
One tweeple @unurag has termed the Arnab Rahul conversation as “Frankly spanking by Arnab Goswami..”
Ex IPS officer and Social activist Kiran Bedi tweets : Appears Mr Rahul Gandhi had some parroted answers to all questions asked by Arnab Goswami@timesnow.Youth,systems,closed party, women,RTI ...
Editor of Marathi daily Loksatta Girish Kuber tweets @girishkuber For Any problem #rahulgandhi has two solutions. RTI and empowerment of women.
Even Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev has had his pinching Rahul saying that @yogrishiramdev 1 Rahul Gandhi should thank RTI activist Aruna Roy, to save him from 'maun vrat' in today's interview.
The exercise of Rahul Gandhi facing to media one to one has gone wayward and actually now haunting the Congress. Congress leaders are now busy facing media over Rahul's "frankly Speaking" and revealing many things. It failed to impress none but has actually exposed the grim picture of the future of Congress party's leadership crisis.