The Congress party has filed a police complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Priti Gandhi for spreading fake news, after tweeted an image of Rahul Gandhi with an office bearer of the party’s student organisation falsely insinuating that she was a Bengaluru activist who was previously booked for saying “Pakistan Zindabad”. Congress MP from Ernakulam Hibi Eden in the complaint accused Priti Gandhi of spreading fake news to “mislead, incite, provoke the public and create enmity between groups.” The complaint referred to a tweet from Priti Gandhi, in which she posted an image of Rahul Gandhi alongside Miva Jolly – KSU’s Ernakulam district secretary – along with a a screenshot from a video clip of Bengaluru-based activist Amulya Leona Noronha, who was arrested in a sedition case for saying “Pakistan Zindabad” at a protest in 2020. The post insinuated that the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and its leader Rahul Gandhi were associated with individuals who raised slogans in support of Pakistan.
Hibi Eden’s complaint mentioned that the tweet was accompanied with the caption: "Look carefully. Not Bharat Jodo, this is Bharat Todo!!" The complaint went on to say: “The impression these pictures sought to convey was that INC leader Shri. Rahul Gandhi was posing with an individual who had been accused of sloganeering 'Pakistan Zindabad' on a previous occasion … The distortion was not an innocent one because it sought to falsely and maliciously suggest that former INC President Shri Rahul Gandhi, who was on a yatra to unite Indians had demonstrated sympathy for individuals who supported Pakistan and approved their illegal sloganeering and was ultimately attempting to "break India”.
Soon after the image was shared by Priti indicating that the girl was Amulya, Mohammed Zubair of AltNews put out a tweet pointing out that they were different persons. “Look carefully. Both are different, The girl with Rahul Gandhi is Miva Andreleo. @MrsGandhi (sic)” he tweeted.
While Priti then took down the initial post, she once again tweeted the image of Rahul Gandhi with Miva Jolly and linked it with the images of him and his niece which were earlier tweeted by right-wing social media users with language perceived to have sexual overtones. “In fact, Ms. Priti Gandhi even deleted the tweet then immediately uploaded another one to double down on her messaging making base and vulgar insinuations without the scantest regard for the individuals involved. Thus, it is clear that this malicious post was designed to (1) create a dangerously false impression in the minds of the viewers regarding the Congress leader's approach towards Pakistan and individuals involved in illegal sloganeering in support of Pakistan; and (2) to foment social tensions in the Bharat Jodo Yatra rallies led by Shri. Rahul Gandhi,” the Congress leader’s complaint said.
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! https://t.co/dcPe49qpar pic.twitter.com/kZ2e7ERkfr
— Priti Gandhi - प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) September 24, 2022
While there were similar comments made by other social media users, many Congress members immediately refuted her claim. A few leaders also said that the comment was highly inappropriate. “I am a witness to the kind of trust that my leader Rahul Gandhi inspires in those that meet him on our yatra .They are not just giving him a hug, they are displaying a rare form of trust and love in a person they probably see as a family member and a leader. Its unfortunate that your sick RSS /BJP mind can only see young women.Its shows your own respect or the lack of it for the women of this country. Not surprised though. Your party is never known to respect women,” Karur MP Jothimani responded.
I am a witness to the kind of trust that my leader Rahul Gandhi inspires in those that meet him on our yatra .They are not just giving him a hug, they are displaying a rare form of trust and love in a person they probably see as a family member and a leader. https://t.co/TMXDxNjObd pic.twitter.com/jKsJocL4xh
— Jothimani (@jothims) September 24, 2022
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.Secy is the latest fodder for their lie machine. Mitron, how low can you stoop? pic.twitter.com/dirQZdLX6Y
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) September 24, 2022
Priti, is your upbringing Ghatiya or became after the training of BJP's hate cell?
— Roshan Lal Bittu (@RoshanLalBittu) September 24, 2022
I was just behind Rahul Gandhi ji at the time of this photo, This girl is our dist secretary of KSU-NSUI, she hugged Rahulji with respect, but you,being a woman,have such dirty thoughts, shameful. https://t.co/Il1Rl9BgpM
Meanwhile, Miva Jolly took to social media to state that she got the opportunity to walk with her “beloved leader Rahul Gandhi” during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on September 21, and an image of their interaction was also shared by him. However, some members of ‘Sangh Parivar’ have mistaken her for Amulya Leone, she said. “Sangh Parivar profiles are spreading the fake news that I am the girl who chanted ‘Pakistan, Zindabad’ just because there is a similarity in our hairstyle. This is how Sangh Parivar has tried to destroy Congress earlier too. What we are seeing today is the biggest example of what kind of false stories they will spread to destroy Congress and Rahul Gandhi,” she said in a video.
Last week, a picture of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with his niece Miraya Vadra was circulated by right-wing users on social media, and they drew flak for propagating a narrative with sexual overtones.