Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of giving scripted interviews

Congress President Rahul Gandhi today took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for purportedly giving a pre-scripted interviews.

"The first Indian Prime Minister who takes 'spontaneous' questions that the translator has pre-scripted answers to," tweeted Gandhi.

"Good that he doesn't take real questions... Would have been a real embarrassment for us all if he did," he scoffed, attaching a video where the translator is heard purportedly reading out a scripted answer.

Participating in a dialogue titled 'Transforming Asia through Innovation' at Singapore's prestigious Nanyang Technological University(NTU), Modi spoke about the biggest challenges before the world, in particular Asia.

After he finished speaking, his English translator read out an answer that was far longer and included details and data that were not in PM Modi's answer.

Here's what Prime Minister Modi said:

"The biggest challenge is whether we the people of Asia feel it or not. Are we just getting happy listening to it, or is the feeling getting developed within that yes, we have to make 21st century the century of Asia. Even today, we are so influenced by other parts of the world, because we have spent that life for a long time. That is why even we don't feel that it's our turn now and we can do something and we have to do it."

Following the remarks by the Prime Minister, the translator said, "First of all I think the biggest challenge before us is that the 21st century belongs to Asia and do we really feel this ourselves? Do we have this sentiment? I think that is what is the biggest challenge, because in this part of the world we have been so much impressed by the rest of the world that we now do not feel that it is our turn. Asia has seen the maximum rise in prosperity, opportunity and freedom in the world.

Japan led the economy, Asian tigers followed. China has become a major economy and it is India's turn to sustain progress now. Yet Asia has many common challenges. South East Asia in particular has similar strength and opportunities, weakness and challenges.

There are the following challenges that are common - skills for the digital age, creating adequate jobs in the age of digital reception, agricultural productivity, water, pollution, rapid and mass urbanisation, sustainable habitats and affordable housing, climate change, protection of bio-diversity, building sustainable infrastructure, affordable healthcare, protecting our ocean or blue economy. These challenges require collaboration among..."

Rahul's tweet has a video of PM Modi's Singapore interview where the translator is heard purportedly reading out a scripted answer.