Whenever someone puts up a difficult question to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the loyalists of The Family masquerading as journalists come together to defend him. Recently, while addressing college students in poll-bound Karnataka, when a student asked Rahul Gandhi ‘What benefits will you give to NCC (National Cadets Corps) cadets after passing ‘C’ certificate examination?’, Gandhi responded by saying that he won’t be able to answer such questions since he doesn’t know the details about NCC training and ‘that type of stuff’. Rahul Gandhi, who aspires to be Prime Minister of India like his father, grandmother and great-grandfather, was criticised by an NCC cadet, one Sanjana Singh, who said it is important for a leader to know about it.

Surprised he doesn’t have details of NCC. It isn’t “other stuff”. It’s 2nd line of defence. Hope Rahul Gandhi learns about it. It’s important for leader to know about it: Sanjana Singh,NCC Cadet on Rahul Gandhi’s statement ‘I don’t know details of NCC training&that type of stuff’ pic.twitter.com/CJsYSd9eLW — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 24, 2018

Another NCC cadet, Maulik Kumar, too, criticised Gandhi for not knowing about NCC.

Everybody in India knows what NCC is. It is a thing to be aware about and everyone should have knowledge about it : Maulik Kumar, NCC on Rahul Gandhi’s statement ‘I don’t know details of NCC training & that type of stuff’ #Agra pic.twitter.com/6BvZC0Bs4v — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 24, 2018

Pretty soon, the flag bearers of so-called liberal values masquerading as journalists came in a swarm to bully a cadet for just wishing that a man who aspires to run the nation knows the basics of NCC, the Indian military cadet corps.

Before lecturing RG about the benefits C certificate holder of NCC should get, this kid should know that NCC is not our second line of defence. And I see how the uniform is misused while making a political statement to a TV camera. Not fit to be in NCC or any disciplined force. https://t.co/4O6zn4OvA3 — Sushant Singh (@SushantSin) March 24, 2018

A cadet claiming NCC is India’s second line of defence is more problematic than @RahulGandhi saying he doesn’t know much about NCC. At least he was honest about it. This kid hasn’t heard about the Territorial Army? https://t.co/Gglb8b4mDu — Thanos (@ivivek_nambiar) March 25, 2018

I think this cadet first needs to learn that the NCC isn’t India’s second line of defence. It’s the Territorial Army that’s the second line of defence! She should first read up on it before rushing to ANI! https://t.co/5WVhItIBPQ — Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) March 24, 2018

Some ‘journalists’ even called it a ‘fabricated controversy’.

I wore the uniform for more than two decades, never knew about the benefits for C Certificate holders of NCC. Can bet that none of the non-NCC type colleagues of mine new either. Irrelevant and fabricated controversy. — Sushant Singh (@SushantSin) March 24, 2018

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And others find this ‘honesty’ refreshing!

Oh so @RahulGandhi said he did not know about NCC, uh oh honesty is wrong should have held forth on “Ganesha’s head” etc. I actually find honesty in politicians pretty refreshing — Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) March 24, 2018

While it is indeed the Territorial Army that forms the second line of defence in India, it is the NCC which formed the second line of defence in the 1965 war against Pakistan and in the 1971 war against Pakistan (fought when Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother was the Prime Minister). In an Extraordinary Gazette published on 9 Sep 1965, the government roped in the NCC officers (senior, junior and girls division) and cadets (including girls) of the senior division of the age of 17 years and above. Their role varied – from passive Air Defence including rescue work, first aid, evacuation of casualties, fire-fighting and removal of debris to traffic control and maintenance of essential services such as motor transport, pioneer and engineer services, water supply and power supply.

NCC is an important part of the Nation’s defence, and for an aspiring leader to not know about “this kind of stuff” is shocking and projects his horrifying lack of awareness. Ignorance cannot be justified by so-called leaders being honest about their ignorance. Rahul Gandhi is no run of the mill politician. He is the Congress party and perhaps the United oppositions Prime Ministerial candidate.

So much for bullying children just because they made The Family little uncomfortable. This is not the first time, though, when the so-called journalists have come together to bully someone into silence because of an uncomfortable question posed to Rahul Gandhi. Recently, Nehru fangirl Sagarika Ghose, who blamed former Prime Minister Shastri’s death for ‘dynasty politics’, had abused an author Prasenjit Basu, for asking a tough question to Rahul Gandhi. Ghose had launched an abusive, elitist and anti-Hindu tirade against Basu.

Without @OfficeOfRG ‘s great grandfather @PrasenjitKBasu wouldn’t be in Singapore, wouldn’t speak English, wouldn’t have written a book in English, instead would be a cow dung trader busily drinking cow urine and puzzling over ten headed demons riding flying chariots https://t.co/OWWMrOQ90E — Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) March 9, 2018

This just goes out to show how well oiled the Rahul Gandhi Defence League is.