Rahul Gandhi Stirs Storm, Says Pets Can Enter Parliament Amid Heated Dog Row
Rahul Gandhi jokes that pets are allowed in Parliament, intensifying the controversy sparked by Renuka Chowdhury’s dog incident.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday turned a minor controversy into a sharp political jab, quipping that while pets may technically not be allowed inside Parliament, “they are already inside” – a pointed dig at ruling BJP MPs amid the ongoing Renuka Chowdhury “dog” row. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Gandhi smiled and said, “Dog is the main topic today, I believe. What did the poor dog do? Did it come here? Is it not allowed?” When a journalist clarified that the rule book does not explicitly mention pets but they are generally barred, Gandhi gestured towards the building and delivered the punchline: “But they are allowed inside,” triggering laughter from the media pack.
The remark stemmed from Congress Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury’s dramatic arrival at Parliament earlier in the day with a pet dog on a leash. When questioned by reporters, Chowdhury retorted, “Those who bite are already inside Parliament,” an obvious swipe at the treasury benches. The BJP immediately hit back, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju posting photos of the dog on the premises and accusing the Congress of turning the “temple of democracy” into a “picnic spot.” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded an apology, calling the act “highly condemnable.”
Within hours, Rahul Gandhi seized the moment to flip the narrative. By implying that the real “barking and biting” happens from the ruling side, he ensured the controversy stayed alive through the day, trending across social media with memes and clips of his sarcastic exchange. Congress supporters hailed it as classic Rahul wit, while BJP spokespersons labelled it “juvenile” and accused the opposition of trivialising Parliament.
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The light-hearted yet loaded banter overshadowed much of the scheduled business in both Houses, with the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessing repeated adjournments over unrelated disruptions. As the Winter Session heads into its third day, what began as an eccentric photo-op by one MP has snowballed into a full-blown political slugfest—with Rahul Gandhi happily pouring petrol on the fire with a single, smirking sentence.
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