Rahul tries to do a la Modi with students but fails to connect .
Bengaluru : Imitation, it is said, is the best form of flattery. But in trying to imitate his bitter adversary Narendra Modi by throwing questions to the audience like what the PM did at Madison and Wembley, Rahul Gandhi cut a sorry figure. The Congress Vice President threw questions on a wide range of issues to a bubbly young crowd of college kids at Mount Carmel, a premier institute for girls, and found that his boyish charm did not work. He was not only stumped by the response, but also realized that he was logged out of young India. The first embarrassment came when he questioned Modi’s Swachch Bharat campaign. Rahul Gandhi openly said Clean India was surely not working. His statement was met with a wild jeer. Caught on the wrong foot, Rahul Gandhi then asked students if Clean India campaign was working. “I do not see it working. Do you see it working?”
Immediately the students responded saying it was indeed working. Rather than moving away from the topic, the Congress leader again asked if the campaign was working. Again the students gave a resounding ‘`Yes” and Rahul was seen shrugging his shoulders with his trademark dimpled and embarrassed smile. The response to the next question too left him baffled. Rahul said the Make in India campaign India was not working. The students responded saying it was indeed working. On new jobs being created, Rahul said ‘‘no” while the kids, who were by then on a roll, said yes. More embarrassment was in store. During the question and answer session, one student asked him why his party was derailing important legislative bills like the GST which can take the country forward. Rahul Gandhi fumbled and said the GST bill was the child of the Congress, but the party wanted some changes.
But the big stumping question came when a student said that the Congress has not learnt its lessons. The student said that the Congress regime was known for corruption and that was why it was voted out. But the party now has no qualms in tying up with the RJD in Bihar in order to gain power. The Congress leader first tried to duck the question saying that the Congress had tied up with Nitish Kumar, but then clarified that such an understanding was needed to keep the BJP out of power. With Benguluru fast becoming a fashion city, one student wondered what was so wrong with a suit-boot sarkar. Rahul Gandhi had to make do with an answer that did not satisfy the audience. He said the government is now being run by a few people in suit and boot.
Rahul Gandhi also took on the Prime Minister saying one man decides everything in the NDA government. “PM thinks India can be transformed by the PMO alone. One man alone cannot transform the country. How can one person have all the answers?” he said. After the embarrassing show, reporters asked him if he was stumped. The 45-year-old leader said, “No, it was a 50-50 verdict.”
When Rahul said the Make in India campaign was not working, the school students responded by saying it was indeed working. Most of his queries were met with boos.
