Did Rahul eat chicken before temple visit?

Did AICC President Rahul Gandhi eat chicken before visiting a temple in Karnataka? While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders expressed massive outrage over media reports suggesting that Rahul Gandhi ate meat before visiting a temple, the reports may be far from the truth.

Rahul Gandhi, who was on a four-day tour in Hyderabad Karnataka region to campaign for Karnataka Assembly elections 2018 landed in a controversy after media reports suggested he consumed meat before a temple visit. The BJP was quick to pick the reports and cry foul accusing Rahul Gandhi- who the BJP refers to as "Election Hindu", for hurting religious sentiments. BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa even tweeted drawing parallels between Siddaramaiah who ate fish before visiting DHarmasthala and Rahul Gandhi who purportedly ate chicken before visiting a temple in Kanakagiri in Koppal.

A day after the controversy broke out, it has now emerged that the media report was based on a regional reporter's incomplete interaction with an SPG personnel. According to the reporter who broke the story, SPG was seen carrying a parcel to the government guest house in Koppal where Rahul Gandhi was staying on Sunday. On being asked what it was, the SPG said that it was chicken. However, no comment was made whether the food being taken was for Rahul Gandhi or whether he consumed it. Based on the assumption that the parcel was for Rahul Gandhi, a regional channel ran the report. The same was reported in newspapers and followed up by other media houses- all the while with no ways of confirming whether the food was meant for or consumed by Rahul Gandhi. BJP, based on the news reports, went on a rampage accusing Gandhi of hurting Hindu religious sentiments.

"On one side there is 10% CM Siddaramaiah who went to Dharmasthala Manjunatha temple after eating fish and on another, there is Election Hindu @OfficeOfRG who went to Narasimha Swamy temple after eating Javari chicken. Why is Congress repeatedly hurting Hindu sentiments? Taking care of everyone equally is samajawad but your's is Majawad," B S Yeddyurappa tweeted in Kannada along with photos of news articles.