Rahul Gandhi responds to viral dog biscuit video, questions 'BJP's obsession with the dog'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clarified on Tuesday that during his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Jharkhand, he offered biscuit to the dog owner after the pet efused to eat from his hands. This clarification came after a video from the event surfaced, showing Gandhi offering a rejected biscuit to a party worker, which drew criticism from BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, who accused Gandhi of disrespecting party workers.

Gandhi explained to reporters that the dog appeared nervous, prompting him to offer the biscuit to the dog's owner in the hope that the animal would eat from the owner's hand. He questioned the controversy surrounding the incident.


"The dog was nervous and shivering... When I gave it a biscuit, the dog got scared. Then, I gave the biscuit to the owner, saying it will eat from your hand. Then, the owner gave it and the dog ate the biscuit. Then, what is the issue?" Gandhi told reporters when queried about it.

Expressing his bewilderment at the BJP's focus on the incident, Gandhi added, "I don't understand what is the BJP's obsession with the dog?"



The incident sparked a social media frenzy, with BJP leaders seizing the opportunity to criticize Gandhi's actions. Amit Malviya, the head of the party's IT cell, compared Gandhi's gesture to recent comments made by Congress President Khargeji, likening party workers to dogs. This narrative was further fueled by a tweet from BJP leader Pallavi CT, suggesting that Gandhi disrespected Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma by offering him biscuits from the same plate as his pet dog.

In response, Sarma, in a social media post, asserted his refusal to eat the biscuit, emphasizing his pride as an Assamese and Indian.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi met former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's wife, Kalpana Soren. This meeting occurred shortly before a public rally at the Shaheed Maidan in the HEC Complex in Ranchi.