No, Rahul Gandhi didn’t offer dog biscuit to Congress worker as claimed; Fact Check

Posted by: Sridevi P February 7, 2024

Amid the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has become a target again for a negative narrative, this time for his love for dogs. During the Yatra, he was seen playing with a dog and trying to feed a biscuit. When the dog did not accept the biscuit, he was seen offering the biscuit to the person next.

However, several claims citing the video appeared online and drew criticism, including some from the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. The claim with the video said that Rahul Gandhi offered the rejected biscuit to one of the Congress workers standing next to the dog. These tweets can be seen below:

The video was shared with a caption that read:“This is why nobody with self-respect can stay in Congress. today Himanta Sharma ji has been vindicated. Rahul first offers biscuit to dog. When dog refuses he gives the same biscuit to Congress karyakarta (worker).”

 

BJP spokesperson Shejad Poonawala, sharing the same remark with another comment that said: “No “nyay” for Congress karyakartas? Rejected dog biscuits are fed to karyakartas by Rahul Gandhi! Elitist mindset of first family.”

FACT CHECK

Our search for the entire video resulted in getting the original here where Rahul Gandhi gave the biscuit not to a Congress Karyakarta as claimed but to owner of the dog, who eventually fed it from his hand. Explaining the same, Rahul Gandhi told the media in a press conference, that he noticed the dog’s distress and decided to give the biscuit to its owner for feeding.

Rahul Gandhi said, “I called the dog and the owner. The dog was nervous, shivering and when I tried to feed it, the dog got scared. So I gave biscuits to the dog’s owner and the dog ate them from his hand.”

It may be noted that Rahul Gandhi is himself a dog-owner and is aware of the psychology of dogs. Later, the dog owner himself came out in support of Rahul Gandhi’s version and clarified that he was neither a Congress Karyakarta nor a supporter of any political party.

The dog owner, a resident of Dhanbad by name Jitendra Kumar, told media outlets later that Rahul Gandhi approached to pet his dog, and offered it a biscuit. “My dog, Lucy, a female culture pomeranian, was scared and nervous atop the car and refused to eat it.” Understanding the dog’s nervousness, Rahul Gandhi ensured it was fed, by asking the owner to feed it instead, which worked out, explained Kumar.

The dog owner also refuted the BJP leaders’ claim that he was a Congress Karyakarta. Hence, the claim accompanying the viral video on Rahul Gandhi was misrepresented to show him with a negative narrative.

Claim: Rahul Gandhi gave biscuit rejected by dog to a Congress Karyakarta during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Conclusion: No, Rahul Gandhi gave the biscuit to the owner of the dog to feed the nervous dog.
Rating: Totally False — Five rating

About Sridevi P

Sridevi, a business management graduate from Osmania University, Hyderabad has contributed fact-checks whenever she found time. She can be reached at psridevi@digiteye.in

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