Rahul Gandhi’s Puppy Gift to Kharge’s Granddaughter Sparks Warmth—and Debate

New Delhi: On Sunday, September 8, the Congress party released a video capturing a personal moment between Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge’s family. The clip showed Gandhi surprising Kharge’s granddaughter on her birthday with a stray dog puppy, gifted inside a large box that revealed a smaller crate.

The video, filmed at the Kharge residence, showed Gandhi carefully unveiling the present and introducing the puppy to the family. The Congress social media team shared the moment with the caption: “Great love comes in small packages ❤️ A birthday gift to remember for Kharge Ji’s granddaughter.”

Soon after, the puppy was seen running around and playing with children while Gandhi held it affectionately in his arms. The gesture received a flurry of responses online. Supporters praised Gandhi’s act of adopting a stray, describing it as compassionate and symbolic. Some even went so far as to call him “the next PM” for such humane gestures.

But the video wasn’t without controversy. Critics raised concerns about animal safety, pointing to the lack of visible ventilation in the wrapped gift box. Questions were also raised about the appropriateness of presenting a live animal in such a manner.

The timing of the video added to its political weight. It came just weeks after the Supreme Court revised an earlier order on stray dog removal in Delhi-NCR, following a surge in bite cases.

Meanwhile, Congress is navigating a sensitive phase. Kharge recently faced backlash after a viral clip showed him dismissing a farmer’s crop-loss complaint. He has also accused the Election Commission of shielding individuals allegedly involved in voter roll irregularities in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi, too, has been under pressure. The BJP targeted him over reports of a private vacation in Malaysia while farmers battled floods. This came shortly after his “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar on September 1, where he and INDIA bloc leaders campaigned against alleged voter list manipulations ahead of state polls.