BJP President Amit Shah’s woes with Kannada translators continue, as the saffron party leader struggles to get his point across in rallies in Karnataka.
A video put up by the satire page Beef Janata Party captures Shah’s tryst with yet another unfortunate translator.
Shah is seen questioning Rahul Gandhi, with exaggerated gestures, bellowing “Arrey Rahul baba, aap Modiji se sawal pooch rahe ho?” (Rahul baba, you are questioning Modi ji?)
Enter translator with over-reaching skills. The woman, who was tasked with translating Shah’s speech, launched into a tirade, using words like ‘Vishwaguru’ which did not find any mention in Shah’s three-second line.
Shah immediately cuts her off, asking her to stick to the script and only translate what was said.
“Main kahaan Vishwaguru bola hoon?”, an incredulous Shah is seen asking.
He then says into the mic:
Mitron, mujhe Rahul Gandhi ko koi jawaab dene ka zaroorat nahi hai. Main Nelamanagala ke logon ko jawaab dene aaya hoon. (Friends, I have no need to answer Rahul Gandhi. I am here to answer the people of Nelamangala.)
Already admonished, the woman gives a very short translation. Shah then prompts her with the second half of his line – about answering only to the people of Nelamanagala.
Midway through her second attempt at translation, another worker from BJP swoops in and takes over.
Shah’s Karnataka campaign has been marred with incidents similar to this. Earlier, in an embarrassing gaffe, MP Prahlad Joshi wrongly translated Shah's speech and claimed that "Narendra Modi will not do anything for the poor and Dalits".
Before that, Shah himself committed a blooper, calling BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa's government in Karnataka, number 1 in corruption. Upon realising his error, Amit Shah had corrected himself and said, “Arre, Siddaramaiah government is number one in corruption.”
(The Quint is now on WhatsApp. To receive handpicked stories on topics you care about, subscribe to our WhatsApp services. Just go to TheQuint.com/WhatsApp and hit Send.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)