Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter’s recent interaction at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. It so happened at the event that Prime Minister answered a question from the audience on 21st century belonging to Asia in Hindi, and when his translator gave the answer in English, she spoke several lines that were not part of Modi’s statement.


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Sharing a video of the interaction on microblogging site Twitter, the Congress president said that while Prime Minister Modi claims to take “spontaneous” questions, his translator already has “pre-scripted answers” for them.



Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The first Indian PM who takes "spontaneous" questions that the translator has pre-scripted answers to! Good that he doesn't take real questions. Would have been a real embarrassment to us all if he did.”


Here’s what Prime Minister Modi said: “21st century belongs to Asia. 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...”


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also taken a dig at Prime Minister Modi over the video, calling it “hilarious”.