India Today TV’s Rahul Kanwal has become a topic of intense conversations on social media after Congress supporters widely shared a video clip of his own broadcast where former Union Minister P Chidambaram left the controversial TV anchor stunned with his sharp replies on unsubstantiated allegations against Rahul Gandhi. This was after Kanwal made a series of allegations against Congress leaders and Rahul Gandhi, criticising them for questioning the central government’s right to procure vaccines. However, Kanwal was left red-faced after Chidambaram began to demand proof for each of his allegations.
In his long monologue, Kanwal had said, “Mr. Chidambaram, is there not element of hypocrisy on the part of the opposition? When the government has centralised vaccine purchase programme, leading lights of the opposition were saying that this government is dictatorial, authoritarian, it’s control freak, it’s not allowing states to go out and purchase vaccines, the states should have more freedom, this should be done more democratically.”
He didn’t stop here. The India Today anchor continued, “The moment the government (headed by Narendra Modi) tweaks its policy, YOU (Chidambaram) and several others like YOU jumped at the government’s new policy and said this is wrong.”
Chidambaram, who was patiently listening to Kanwal’s rant, replied in his own inimitable style, “I strongly object to your insinuation. You are welcome to swallow the government’s false narrative..Show me one word I’ve written..”
Kanwal interrupted as he made a spectacular U-turn to what he had said moments ago. He clarified, “Not YOU sir. I am saying Congress leaders. Not YOU sir. I want to clarify.”
Chidambaram continued, “Ok, I’ve understood your question. Now show me which Congress leaders, speaking for the Congress party, said that states must buy the vaccines. From day one, I’ve said that states cannot float a tender…States cannot buy vaccines. Some states said that ‘allow us to distribute the vaccines in a manner we like…You procure the vaccines, supply them to us and we will distribute them.’ That was the stand taken by the AIADMK Health Minister before the DMK took over. And the DMK has not changed its tune.”
Chidambaram continued even as Kanwal was beginning to look uncomfortable on the prospect of facing more embarrassment. The veteran Congress leader said, “We are in power only in three states. Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Show me which of the three health ministers of Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh wanted states to procure vaccines.”
Once again, a visibly embarrassed India Today anchor interrupted as he said, “No we saw from the government in Jharkhand of which you are a part. We also saw from the government in Delhi which you can say you have nothing to do with.”
Here too, Chidambaram asked Kanwal to furnish the statement from the Jharkhand health minister wanting to purchase vaccines on their own. Chidambaram also explained that the Congress was just a coalition partner in Jharkhand.
Sensing that Chidambaram was determined to compound his misery, Kanwal made a desperate attempt to bail himself out of the growing embarrassment. He said, “How do you respond to the charge? The government actually had a sensible policy. Now you can say correctly that it’s not Congress health ministers who said this…I never said YOU, when I said YOU, I meant the Congress. From Rahul Gandhi onwards, they were attacking the government’s policy on vaccinations.”
Chidambaram smiled as he told Kanwal, “Now, you’ve cleverly modified your statement….Show me Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s statement. Date, mode, media and where it was published that he said states should procure vaccines. Show me the statement.”
All Kanwal could say at this point was that Chidambaram was trying to set a different benchmark.
As expected, Congress supporters began to fervently share the video clip from India Today TV with disparaging comments for Kanwal.
The ROASTING of Rahul Kanwal featuring the legendary P Chidambaram.
Don’t miss this.
— Spirit of Congress ✋ (@SpiritOfCongres) June 2, 2021
Look how anxious Rahul Kanwal is to pin blame on “Congress leaders” & then tries to wriggle out when @PChidambaram_IN challenges him to produce specific names & statements
Rahul is determined not to understand Centre must procure & States will distributepic.twitter.com/ZvW2YU3uN5
— Geet V (@geetv79) June 2, 2021
Just watched PC mop the floor with Rahul Kanwal in the most classy way mankind could’ve imagined. Fetching clip, I must admit.
— Amit Schandillia (@Schandillia) June 2, 2021
Do watch this video to know what the term ‘chewing up’ means.
Also, @rahulkanwal should prepare better whilst talking to someone of the calibre of PC, else, it results in a pathetic humiliation, on air. https://t.co/ROlSsLYNsB
— Adv. Manoj (@RURALINDIA) June 2, 2021
BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya came to Kanwal’s rescue as he tweeted, “I don’t know what Chidambaram is fretting about here. Does he not take Rahul Gandhi seriously, who asked for states to be given a greater say in vaccine procurement and distribution? Rahul Kanwal should have quoted this letter and sent a copy for Chidambaram to frame and hang!”