Bharat Jodo Yatra: Row Over Tweets, Congress Strikes At BJP For Faking News

A Photo of Rahul Gandhi along with a young woman leader were doing the rounds in social media for a few days.

Updated on: 25 September 2022 2:07 am

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Bharat Jodo Yatra

The Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress got into loggerheads with BJP again as the later started hitting out at Congress alleging that the young girl with whom Rahul Gandhi was seen posing was none other than Amulya Leona Noronha, a student from Bengaluru who was arrested in February 2020 for allegedly shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans.

Some BJP functionaries have shared the post with tags in their twitter account. Lashing out at the BJP, the Congress said the girl in the picture was Miva Jolly, an office-bearer of the Congress' student wing in Kerala.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that it was the work of the saffron party's 'Dirty Tricks Department'. "Perturbed by the stupendous success of #BharatJodoYatra, BJP's Dirty Tricks Department is working overtime. A video grab of @RahulGandhi with Ms.Miva Jolly, KSU Eranakulam Dist. Secretary is the latest fodder for their lie machine. Mitron, how low can you stoop?" Venugopal tweeted.

Congress spokesperson Lavanya Ballal said the party will initiate legal steps against Prithi Gandhi, a BJP supporter, who allegedly circulated the fake message. "Dear @MrsGandhi, please expect legal notice. You are the real vile Bharat thodo team. A vulture which feeds and spreads fake news. #Liar.#FakeNewsPeddler.," Ballal tweeted with a news report on a twitter handle, Prithi Gandhi.

However, the Twitter war escalated after Prithi Gandhi, who claims to be a BJP karyakarta, tweeted Rahul's same picture, asking why does the Congress leader "grab young girls to get pictures".

"But what is it with Rahul Gandhi? Why does he grab young girls to get pictures? Last time, we were told she is his niece but what's the excuse now? He isn't the father figure types & even if he is, why get so intimate for photos? This excessive display of affection is troubling!" the handle tweeted, which was receiving huge backlash on social media.

Congress retorted saying the entire IT-cell of the BJP was focused on character assassination of Rahul Gandhi and women. "Their values and moral compass is dysfunctional," Ballal tweeted. She said the BJP's trademark was to spread lies.

(With PTI Inputs)