61 Lies Told by Rahul Gandhi in One Interview
This below interview question and answers were sourced from India Today's Rahul Gandhi interview on May 2nd 2019. The formatting of QA is improper, however that's how India Today published the interview. The original Q&A is quoted and the lies are numbered below sequentially.
Q. Is Election 2019 a battle between NYAY and nationalism?
A.No! 2019 is being fought on three or four different axes. One axis is that we are faced with an unemployment crisis: across the country, youngsters are just not getting jobs. The second is agriculture: Mr Narendra Modi’s policies have destroyed agriculture. The third is that the economy is not firing the way it should: transactions are not taking place, the steady economic growth we had seen in the UPA years has fizzled out. Of the other two axes, one is clear-cut massive corruption by Mr Modi in Rafale and the second is the attempt to attack India’s institutionsthe Supreme Court, the Election Commission, the Planning Commissionin a bid to shape politics in Mr Modi’s favour.
1 - One axis is that we are faced with an unemployment crisis.
According to CEIC figures, Unemployment in India is actually decreasing from the recent unemployment peak of 2013 (Congress tenure).
2 - Mr Narendra Modi’s policies have destroyed agriculture.
According to World Bank figures Agriculture growth has been steadily increasing from the low of 2014.
3 - The third is that the economy is not firing the way it should.
Not only economic growth rate was steady but it was also good kind of competitive impressive growth in emerging economies according to Panos Mourdoukoutas of Forbes.
4 - transactions are not taking place.
A statement that is so factually, statistically, sensibly incorrect, it can be treated as lie.
5 - the steady economic growth we had seen in the UPA years has fizzled out.
According to the above reference and world-bank data it is a lie.
See point 2 and 3
6 - one is clear-cut massive corruption by Mr Modi in Rafale
Unless Supreme court is lying, it is proven that Mr. Raul Vinci lied bluntly again. What's interesting here with this lie is that he repeatedly expressed regret lying about this lie, however had no problem in repeating this lie with friendly interviewer.
7 - second is the attempt to attack India’s institutionsthe Supreme Court, the Election Commission, the Planning Commissionin a bid to shape politics in Mr Modi’s favour.
There is no verifiable evidence of this- which makes it a lie.
Q. But the BJP and Modi have projected the election as a debate on security, nationalism and patriotism.
A. Mr Modi uses national security to divert attention from the big issues India confronts. India’s youth are unemployed and can’t see a future for themselves. That’s a huge national issue. Why doesn’t the PM speak about his record on unemployment in his speeches? Are mass farmer suicides not a major national issue? Of course, they are. So why doesn’t the PM say, I committed to you that I would give 2 crore jobs, but I failed. I committed that I would put Rs 15 lakh in every bank account, I failed. I committed that agriculture would be given full priority, I failed. These are the real national issues. Why doesn’t he speak on these issues?
8 - India’s youth are unemployed and can’t see a future for themselves.
Refer to the point 1
9 - Why doesn’t the PM speak about his record on unemployment in his speeches?
PM Modi spoke about jobs and unemployment multiple times in his speeches.
10 - So why doesn’t the PM say, I committed to you that I would give 2 crore jobs, but I failed.
2.5 crore jobs have been added every year in the country: PM Modi
11 - I committed that I would put Rs 15 lakh in every bank account, I failed.
According to this pro-congress fact check media, Mr. Rahul Gandhi lied again.
12 - I committed that agriculture would be given full priority, I failed.
See point 2
13 - These are the real national issues. Why doesn’t he speak on these issues?
He speaks about them in almost every rally which makes this a lie.
Q. What about the security issues the BJP is referring to as real threats to the nation?
A. The biggest threat to the nation is that what worked for India in the 1990s doesn’t work anymore. And Mr Modi refuses to accept it. We accepted it. Our policies worked till about 2012. They began to falter in the last two years of the UPA. Mr Modi is doing what we were trying to do between 2012 and 2014, and he has added to it completely insane ideas like demonetisation! So you have an economy that isn’t firing and suddenly the PM decides to entirely decimate Indian business. Ask any Indian businessman what the Gabbar Singh Tax’ and demonetisation have done to him. Large businessmen, small businessmen, ask anyone. Ask a farmer, ask anybody. Where did Mr Modi get the idea that destroying Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would be beneficial to the country? It boggles the mind. So, absolutely, there are threats to the economy. But Pakistan’s support of terrorism is something that we will fight 100 per cent and make sure it isn’t allowed to get away with supporting terror in our country. But I also want the PM to answer how 45 CRPF men died. I understand that Pakistan wants to carry out terror attacks, but is the PM not responsible for protecting Indian soldiers? Why doesn’t he come on national TV and say, I failed to protect our CRPF men?
14 - So you have an economy that isn’t firing and suddenly the PM decides to entirely decimate Indian business.
See point 3
15 - Ask any Indian businessman what the Gabbar Singh Tax’ and demonetisation have done to him. Large businessmen, small businessmen, ask anyone. Ask a farmer, ask anybody.
Apart from lutyen’s media and congress politicians, there are Indians don’t know what is Gabbar Singh Tax. Source: Me.
16 - But Pakistan’s support of terrorism is something that we will fight 100 per cent and make sure it isn’t allowed to get away with supporting terror in our country.
Pak terrorists freed in goodwill gesture in 2010 under Congress govt.
17 - but is the PM not responsible for protecting Indian soldiers? Why doesn’t he come on national TV and say, I failed to protect our CRPF men?
Just like according to media wisdom that 26/11 is not Sonia/Rahul/Manmohan SIngh’s responsibility, a PM is personally not responsible to security of convoy's.
Q. He says that he has conducted two surgical strikes in his tenure
A. Very good. Manmohan Singhji carried out three surgical strikes but we didn’t tell the world. The reason is we did not want to politicise the armed forces, take advantage of what our soldiers did. It’s their doing, we respect them, salute them and honour them. We don’t dishonour them by politicising them.
18 - Manmohan Singhji carried out three surgical strikes but we didn’t tell the world.
Immediately after interview, his party congress released info of six surgical strikes. So, according to their party he lied about the fact it was 6 strikes not 3.
19 - The reason is we did not want to politicise the armed forces, take advantage of what our soldiers did.
Even if there were surgical strikes under Manmohan singh, the fact that Rahul Gandhi politicizing the armed forces and taking advantage of what our soldiers did contradicts his own above statement. So it is counted as a lie.
Q.The other thing the BJP keeps citing is 2008 when the Mumbai terror attacks took place and the then UPA government did not retaliate.
A. The truth is we completely neutralised Pakistan and did it strategically. We carried out an international campaign to isolate Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. We did what we had to do, without politicising it.
20 - The truth is we completely neutralised Pakistan and did it strategically.
List of some attacks by Pakistan supported terrorist groups in India after 2008 under Congress.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pune_bombing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Varanasi_bombing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Mumbai_bombings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Delhi_bombing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Pune_bombings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Hyderabad_blasts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_2013_Srinagar_attack
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya_bombings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Patna_bombings
21 - We carried out an international campaign to isolate Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
In 2010, United States authorized $1.5 billion as non-military aid from the period 2010 to 2014. And there is no statistical evidence that Pakistan was isolated Internationally at thetime.
22 - We did what we had to do, without politicising it.
Except for prominent Congress politician Digvijaya Singh who politicized 2008 attack by blaming Hindu groups and RSS for the attack.
Q. The current government has adopted an iron-fist approach in Kashmir. Do you think it is working?
A. The current government has no strategy on Jammu & Kashmir other than leveraging the troubles in the region for political gain in other parts of India. Terrorism restarted when Mr Modi opportunistically allied with the PDP. I remember speaking to Mr Arun Jaitley about this when he had come to see me. I said, Mr Jaitley, do you realise what you are doing in Jammu & Kashmir? It’s going to burn.’ Mr Jaitley said to me, No, Kashmir is peaceful, nothing is going to happen there.’ The truth is, Mr Modi’s alliance with the PDP opened the floodgates for terrorism in J&K.
23 - The current government has no strategy on Jammu & Kashmir
Narendra Modi's Grand Plan for Kashmir
24 - Terrorism restarted when Mr Modi opportunistically allied with the PDP.
Terrorism was never stopped before Mr Modi came to power in 2014.
Also, See point 20
25 - The truth is, Mr Modi’s alliance with the PDP opened the floodgates for terrorism in J&K.
See point 24
Q. And how would you handle Kashmir?
A. When the UPA was in power, we had a well-thought-out strategy in Jammu & Kashmir. This was something I had a role in shaping, and we spent years working on it. We did panchayat elections; we took big Indian businessmen like Mr Tata to Jammu & Kashmir to show the youth of the region a new vision and help them find jobs. We linked thousands of women to the banking system through self-help groups. These steps helped us break the back of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. When we came to power in 2004, Kashmir was on fire. When we left, Kashmir was peaceful. I remember 50 flights a day bringing tourists to Srinagar. So, please look at our record and strategy, which is not only to crush terrorism but also to engage with the people of Jammu & Kashmir, to show them that there is a different vision and it’s a much better one. It’s the Indian vision and it’s successful. It’s bringing millions of people out of poverty. Embrace this vision, it is your future.
26 - These steps helped us break the back of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir
See point 20
27 - When we left, Kashmir was peaceful
Statistical lie and also See point 20
28 - So, please look at our record and strategy, which is not only to crush terrorism but also to engage with the people of Jammu & Kashmir
See point 20
29 - It’s the Indian vision and it’s successful.
See point 20
30 - It’s bringing millions of people out of poverty.
Jammu and Kashmir’s total population is around 12 million, with 10% poverty percentage. Even if Congress miraculously brought every single poor person out of poverty, it would be 1.2 million. His usage of word “millions” makes it a lie.
Q. The BJP sees the removal of Articles 370 and 35A as a solution to Kashmir. What’s your opinion?
A. I’m not going to engage with this. I’m saying, very simply, that we are fighting a national election, and as far as I can see, a national election is about the future of the country. And the big issues in this country are the highest rate of unemployment in 45 years, the complete destruction of the informal sector, the wiping out of small and medium businesses, the destruction of agriculture, the destruction of the economy and an attack on all our institutions.
31 - highest rate of unemployment in 45 years
Apart from “leaked” / “rumor” / establishment media assertions, there is no factual report out there to prove this. So RG saying this as a fact, makes it in fact, hmmm you guessed it, Lie.
32 - the complete destruction of the informal sector
Factual and statistical lie
33 - the wiping out of small and medium businesses
Factual and statistical lie
34 - the destruction of agriculture
See point 2
35 - the destruction of the economy
See point 3
36 - an attack on all our institutions.
See point 7
Q. What do you make of Mr Modi’s foreign policy?
A. Mr Modi doesn’t have a foreign policy! He appears to act on his whims on a daily basis. For instance, he visits Afghanistan and then suddenly decides to fly from there to Pakistan. He doesn’t even understand that by flying from Afghanistan to Pakistan, he is sending a negative message to the people of Afghanistan, and his actions have upset the Afghan government. He doesn’t even have basic knowledge of foreign policy. In fact, he thinks foreign policy is about hugging as many world leaders as he can!
37 - Mr Modi doesn’t have a foreign policy!
Every Indian PM and government has a foreign policy by default.
38 - his actions have upset the Afghan government.
Apart from his own news media National Herald in which doesn’t specify details. There is no evidence Afghan government upset with Modi.
39 - He doesn’t even have basic knowledge of foreign policy.
Not according to Carnegie Endowment for International peace.
Modi’s Three Foreign Policy Wins
40 - In fact, he thinks foreign policy is about hugging as many world leaders as he can!
The way Rahul Gandhi, asserted it as a fact makes it lie. As no human being can accurately predict what other human beings think exactly.
Q. You also hugged Mr Narendra Modi.
A. He’s not a foreign leader.
41 - He’s not a foreign leader.
Because of this aloof child like answers without any context, we have to examine his statement. Factually, he is a foreign leader to other countries. In case of Rahul Gandhi being British citizen, Modi is in fact a foreign leader to Rahul Gandhi.
Q. So what’s the difference between hugging Narendra Modi and another foreign leader?
A. My hug had love in it.
Non sensical answer, however cannot be determined as factual lie.
Q. He criticised you after the hug. Then you started saying Chowkidar chor hai’. And yet you say you are compassionate towards him. How do you reconcile these two things?
A. I’m compassionate towards him, but I tell the truth. I cannot ignore the truth. The truth is that the PM of India has given 30,000 crore rupees to Mr Anil Ambani. You know that I know that, the whole country knows that. And Anil Ambani has never built a plane! That’s the truth. I have to tell the truth and the truth is that Chowkidar chor hai’. There’s no getting away from it. There’s no nicer way to put it. I can say the chowkidar is a thief’ if you think it sounds better.
42 - PM of India has given 30,000 crore rupees to Mr Anil Ambani
There is no such evidence of this statement. See point 6
43 - You know that I know that, the whole country knows that
Statistical and factual lie. See Point 6
Q. You keep saying that Anil Ambani got Rs 30,000 crore, but that may be incorrect. A news report said he got a less than Rs 1,000 crore contract.
A. There are more than enough documents that clearly show the financial figures involved in the Rafael deal. The Hindu newspaper has published documents where the entire defence department is saying the PM is doing a parallel negotiation. He has bypassed every single rule, every single process. You have the defence minister of India saying, I don’t know about this new contract. The old contract hasn’t even been closed but a new contract has been started by the prime minister of India. Eventually, there’s going to be an inquiry on this. And he can’t escape it.
44 - PM is doing a parallel negotiation. He has bypassed every single rule, every single process.
See point 6
Q. So will you initiate an inquiry into the Rafale deal if the Congress comes to power?
A. Absolutely! The world’s biggest defence contract has been handed to someone who has never built an aircraft. There has to be an inquiry.
45 - The world’s biggest defence contract
World’s biggest defense contract is not Rafale deal, but Joint Strike Force Contract by US.
46 - handed to someone who has never built an aircraft.
The rafale contract is joint venture by Dassault and Reliance defense. Dassault Aviation has been building aircrafts from at least since 1929.
Q. What will you do to curb corruption if voted to power?
A. The most effective way to curb corruption is to decentralise. Today, too much power is concentrated in the hands of too few. We have to open up our decision-making to scrutiny and be more transparent in our dealings. Strengthening the RTI is crucial to this. Taking a firm, speedy action against the corrupt is also important.
47 - The most effective way to curb corruption is to decentralise.
Factual mis-statement that can be construed as a lie.
Q. One of the reasons why the BJP is asking its voters to give them a majority is strong versus weak government argument. They say a coalition government of the opposition will be weak.
A. Help me understand this. Is a strong government one that takes us to a 45-year-high unemployment rate? Is a strong government one that allows a kisan to commit suicide? Is a strong government one that doesn’t have confidence and has to crush institutions? A strong government is one that says we’re going to give you jobs. A strong government is one that engages with the people of India. A strong government is one that says Supreme Court, we believe you, we trust you, do what you want. We are strong enough to allow you to be independent’. Is the BJP government a strong one? No, it is a weak one.
48 - 45-year-high unemployment rate?
See point 1
49 - doesn’t have confidence and has to crush institutions
See Point 7
Q. And he calls you a liar.
A. When I say something, I commit to it. You can look at my track record and judge for yourself.
50 - When I say something, I commit to it.
Factual and statistical lie according to this post.
Q. Where will the funds for NYAY come from?
A. NYAY is two things. It is helping poor people break the shackles of poverty but, just as importantly, it is about remonetising the Indian economyjump-starting the economic engine that has stalled because of demonetisation and a poorly executed Goods & Services Tax. We have excellent economists in our system and they have worked on this for many months. This money is not going to come from the middle class. That is my guarantee to you. That not a rupee of this thing is going to come out of your taxes. We’ve done the calculations, the money is going to come from present revenue streams, from reducing inefficiencies in government schemes and from better monetisation of government assets. Some of this money is going to come from crony capitalists like Anil Ambani.
51 - the economic engine that has stalled because of demonetisation
Factual and statistcal lie. See point 3.
52 - This money is not going to come from the middle class
Factual and statistcal lie. See point 54 and 55.
53 - That not a rupee of this thing is going to come out of your taxes.
Factual and statistcal lie. See point 54 and 55.
54 - We’ve done the calculations, the money is going to come from present revenue streams, from reducing inefficiencies in government schemes and from better monetisation of government assets.
All the sources he mentioned do come from taxes of Indian citizens including middle class.
Q. How will it happen? Or will it be like Modi saying he’ll put Rs 15 lakh in every bank account from black money seized abroad?
A. Absolutely not! I keep my promises, unlike Mr Modi. We have made a financial model for NYAY and tested it thoroughly and my team believes that it can be executed without causing any damage to the economy. This view is supported by some of the world’s best-known economists whom we have consulted and asked for help in validating our approach.
55 - supported by some of the world’s best-known economists
Abhijit Banerjee asserted the NYAY will be funded from High Taxes and High Inflation
Q. Jobs are a very critical issue. Congress’s initial plan seems to be to give a lot of government jobs.
A. First, we have to fire up our economic engine again so that demand increases, which, in turn, will help create a large number of jobs. That will take us to where we were before Mr Modi destroyed our economy with demonetisation and the Gabbar Singh Tax. NYAY is crucial in getting our economic engine restarted because it will remonetise the economy by putting cash in the hands of the poor, who will, in turn, spend it, creating demand and helping jump-start our economy. Now let’s talk about how we move ahead from where we were. India is the skills capital of the world. Every single district has skills, except that we don’t respect them. We don’t think about linking those skills to the economy. The basic principle is to identify areas with specific skills and link them to the Indian and global economy. People talk about IT as a big success story. What actually happened was that the skill of Indian software engineers was connected to cities like Bangalore and even Silicon Valley, and they were given an avenue to express themselves through their skills. There are thousands and thousands of other skill centres, like Mirzapur or Sriperumbudur, which have the potential to grow and create millions of jobs. One more thing, we can no longer afford to focus only on GDP growth in isolation. GDP growth must be seen in the context of job creation. GDP growth without creating new jobs is not the kind of growth India needs at the moment.
56 - will help create a large number of jobs Practical lie.In order to be qualified to NYAY scheme, one has to be poor. Practically many people would quit their low paying jobs in order to compete to qualify to NYAY scheme.
57 - Mr Modi destroyed our economy with demonetisation and the Gabbar Singh Tax
Factual and statistical lie. See point 3.
58 - NYAY is crucial in getting our economic engine restarted
Practical lie. See point 56.
Q. Are you for or against public sector disinvestment? Does Air India need to be shut down?
A. This, if I may be blunt with you, is too basic a question: are we against it or for it? We have a strategy on public disinvestment. Some things, it makes sense to privatise. Some others, it does not. So, don’t come at me simplistically, with an are you for this or against this. This is not the kind of question you should be asking a national political leader, it’s the kind of question you ask high school kids. Come at me with sophistication and I’ll come back at you with sophistication.
No analysis will be done here, the above quote is just for entertainment purpose.
Q. Let’s come to agriculture. To relieve agrarian distress, you have promised loan waivers. But the charge Mr Modi makes is that you haven’t delivered on it in the three states you won recently. What’s your big idea for agriculture?
A. First, we have delivered on our promises and officially announced these farm loan waivers within 48 hours of our governments being sworn in. Obviously, there is a process involved in the execution and it takes time. Second, we understand that a farm loan waiver is not a solution to agrarian distress. It is a confidence-building measure and our aim is to relieve farmers from their immediate pain. Third, farmers don’t get value for their produce because there is no cold chain, no storage facility, no easy connection between the farm and the dining table. So, how do we unlock India’s farm sector? We connect the farm using infrastructure, technology, food processing units. To connect them to the Indian economy and the global economy. At the same time, we have to be sensitive so that farmers don’t lose confidence so that they don’t say, we’re done, we’re not going to do this anymore. That’s the nature of the farm loan waiver.
59 - delivered on our promises and officially announced these farm loan waivers within 48 hours of our governments being sworn in. Obviously, there is a process involved in the execution and it takes time
Lie by contradiction within the same context. “Delivered” term is only applied after the process is executed.
Q. If there’s one thing you would want to learn from Narendra Modi, what would it be?
A. How to give multiple messages to multiple people simultaneously. How to say something to you, and say the opposite to someone else at the very same time! There’s a certain amount of deception in that, though, that makes me uncomfortable and I won’t be able to do it. But it’s a skill he certainly has. It’s a powerful thing. For me, the defeat in 2014 was the best thing to have happened, it taught me that my job is to be compassionate, even if people are abusing you and shouting at you and hitting you. Don’t hit back, embrace him. The guy is abusing you, you respect him. I saw Mr Narendra Modi’s interview the other day, Only Narendra Modi can challenge Narendra Modi! It blew my mind. I was like, Oh my God, how can a person’s worldview be like this? A farmer will challenge me when it comes to farming, you will challenge me in some things; everyone can challenge me in everything. There are certain things I know, but I don’t know everything. Knowing everything... that’s the definition of insanity! I’m human.
60 - How to say something to you, and say the opposite to someone else at the very same time! There’s a certain amount of deception in that, though, that makes me uncomfortable and I won’t be able to do it.
So Rahul Gandhi believes Modi can exert amount of deception as an answer to Interviewer’s question of what would he want to learn. Then immediately contradicted and confused the context. Confusing lie.
Q. Any preference?
A. My mother is my sister. My sister is my mother. They are the same thing, the same force. They are not different.
61 - My mother is my sister. My sister is my mother. They are the same thing, the same force. They are not different.
Factual and statistical lie. Unless he was born to Priyanka or Sonia is his sister.
Q. Since Narendra Modi told Akshay Kumar he liked mangoes, we have to ask which flavour or fruit do you like?
A. I do Vipassana. The mind constructs the flavour of the fruit. You can like or dislike any fruit you want. You can choose to like mango, you can choose to hate it. You can choose to like poor people, you can choose to hate them. You construct everything in your mind. The mind decides everything. I might start off hating someone, but after a bit of interaction, I’ll see things through their eyes, and be like: Actually, I like him; he’s great’. But to answer your question: I like mangoes, I like bananas, I never used to like carrots, but now I do. I never used to like asparagus, but I do now.
I’m confused and my limited critical thinking cannot be used for analysis anymore. This is beyond science.