This Photo Doesn't Show Rahul Gandhi Drinking Alcohol During Bharat Jodo Yatra

The original image showed Rahul Gandhi having dry fruits and tea in Haryana.

Fact-Check: The image showing Rahul Gandhi having alcohol is edited.

(Photo: The Quint)

A photograph of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which shows him eating dry fruits and chicken with what looks like a glass of alcohol, is going viral to take a dig at him.

The claim: Gandhi was seen drinking alcohol and having chicken during the yatra. People tried to take a dig at the leader over his 'tapasvi' comment and the row over him not wearing winter clothes.

An archive of the post can be found here.

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

The image is extremely viral on Facebook.

Image shared on Facebook multiple times.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

The truth: The image was digitally altered to add the glass of alcohol and a plate of chicken legs. The original image showed Gandhi having tea (or milk) with dried fruits.

How did we find that out:

• We conducted a reverse image search on the viral image and found a similar image posted by senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.

• The caption of the tweet said, "It was sheer coincidence: travelling to Punjab this morning, I crossed the Bharat Jodo Yatra. With some difficulty and a scuffle, I was able to meet Rahul Gandhi while he was eating at a dhaba a few kms from Karnal."

• We compared the two images and found that the viral image was digitally altered.

Comparison of the two images.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

• We found that people in the background of the viral image and that posted by Guha Thakurta were the same.

• Paranjoy Guha Thakurta's tweet was included as the 'tweet of the day' in an article on the website of Bharat Jodo Yatra on 7 January.

Conclusion: The image has been edited to add a glass of alcohol and a plate of chicken.

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