#SemiFinals2019: Looking back at leaders' gaffes during Karnataka campaign
Before Karnataka went to vote on May 12, the state was home to political heavyweights like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rahul Gandhi. Even Sonia Gandhi came to Karnataka streets to connect with citizens, for the first time after two years. With the campaigning came gaffes that gave media enough fodder, and caused embarrassment to the seasoned leaders. Here's looking back at it.
Lost-in-translation: When Amit Shah said PM Modi will 'destroy nation'
Well, it wasn't actually Amit Shah's words but what the translator conveyed to crowds in Challkere of Karnataka's Devanagiri district. During the rally, the translator Prahlad Joshi twisted (unintentionally?) Shah's words and said, "PM Narendra Modi will not do anything for Dalits, poor and the backward classes. He will damage the nation. Please vote for him." In reality, Shah was slamming Siddaramaiah's government.
Mistake to remember: Amit Shah even 'called' Yeddyurappa corrupt
While addressing a press conference, Amit Shah said, "A retired Supreme Court recently said that if we hold a competition for the most corrupt government in the country, then Yeddyurappa government shall be given the No. 1 award." He wanted to say Siddaramaiah, but the goof-up was caught on camera and Congress took a jibe. Unfortunately, a translator couldn't be blamed this time.
Rahul Gandhi appreciated IIT Bangalore. What's its address?
In his attack at RSS and BJP, Rahul Gandhi said when IIT was established in Bangalore, the government was criticized. What Gandhi didn't check was there isn't an IIT in Bangalore, but an IIM.
PM Modi gets his facts wrong about military
In one of the rallies, PM Modi said, "In 1948, it was under Gen Thimayya's leadership that the war against Pakistan was won. But after that victory, the saviour of Kashmir, Gen Thimayya, was repeatedly insulted by the then Prime Minister Nehru and the then defense minister Krishna Menon." However, facts show otherwise.
Looking at the facts
General Thimayya was Army Chief from 1957 till 1961. Unlike what PM Modi claimed, Jawahar Lal Nehru did not insult Thimayya. In fact, Thimayya headed the prestigious United Nations' Repatriation Commission in Korea in 1948. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan.
According to PM Modi, no Congress leader met Bhagat Singh
PM Modi in a thunderous voice claimed no Congress leader met freedom fighter Bhagat Singh when they were in jail. However, historians refuted his statement. Historian S. Irfan Habib wrote on Twitter, "Go and read history before misusing it for politics. Nehru not only met them in prison but also wrote about them. Several Congress leaders defied Gandhi to speak for them."