Experience, accepting reality gives me courage: Rahul Gandhi

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday said that accepting reality had given him courage to be in politics despite witnessing deaths of his father and grandmother.

The Congress president's father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi, both former prime ministers, were assassinated in 1991 and 1984 respectively.

He was speaking at an interactive session with collegians here moderated by actor Subodh Bhave and radio jockey Malishka.

Asked about having the courage and energy to be in politics despite witnessing the two deaths from close quarters, "I got courage from experience, and the things I confronted. I got courage from accepting reality. If you accept reality, you will get courage, and if you accept lies, you will get fear," Gandhi said.

"Reality is sometimes bitter, sometimes good. But I accept reality whether it is bitter or good. I work on that basis and this way I get courage," he said.

The Congress chief added that truth comes from humility which in turn comes from courage.

Gandhi also participated in a "rapid fire" round. On being asked about the last movie he had seen, Gandhi said he hadn't seen one in a long time.

On a query about a childhood memory, Gandhi said he would hide behind the curtain when his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, would step into the house and then try to scare her.

"She knew I was behind the curtain but she used to pretend that she was scared," Gandhi recollected.

On what he would wish for if he got a genie, the Congress chief said he would want that the people he cared do well.

When asked if he was a fitness freak, Gandhi replied in affirmative. On being asked if he ever had "six packs", Gandhi said he used to earlier.