DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A social media post is being shared on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is leading the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra across the country. The claim was that the leader discontinued the Yatra for 10 days to jet off to Italy (his grandmother’s home) to celebrate February 14, a Valentine’s Day. This has been shared here on Twitter and FaceBook.
*’भारत जोड़ने वाला’ मिस्त्री ’14-फरवरी’ मनाने नानी के घर जा रहा है इसलिए दस दिन तक भारत नहीं जोड़ा जाएगा।*
*रुकावट के लिए खेद है।*
🫡😜🥸
— Anil Kumar Jain (@Aniljain_66) February 13, 2024
FACT CHECK
The Digiteye India team first checked on Google Search for any disruptions to the “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” by Rahul Gandhi but no official Yatra briefings listed any such long halt or change in Yatra schedule. Furthermore, the official X handle of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra shared the schedule for February 15, listing a public meeting in Bihar’s Aurangabad at 2 pm as seen below:
Today’s schedule of the #BharatJodoNyayYatra pic.twitter.com/VYItZmDo2Q
— Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (@bharatjodo) February 15, 2024
However, news reports confirmed that the Yatra in Bihar was delayed as Rahul Gandhi was accompanying his mother Sonia Gandhi, who was filing her Rajya Sabha nomination papers in Jaipur on February 14, 2024. Several news reports also confirmed that he returned to address a rally in Aurangabad to resume his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with his address at Bihar’s Aurangabad at 2 pm on February 15, 2024.
Here’s the official release from the organisers on his February 15, 2024 schedule:
Hence, the claim that Rahul Gandhi was halting his Yatra to go to Italy on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2024) was false.
Claim: Rahul Gandhi halted his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to jet off to Italy for Valentine’s Day on February 14.
Conclusion: False, he accompanied his mother Sonia Gandhi who was filing her Rajya Sabha nomination papers in Jaipur on February 14, 2024.
Rating: Misrepresentation — 
