A photo of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi eating chicken drumsticks and drinking alcohol is going viral.

A fact check During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a doctored photo of Rahul Gandhi eating and drinking chicken went viral.

Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, is seen in a viral photo devouring and drinking chicken drumsticks. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is where the picture is said to have been taken. However, AFWA's inquiry revealed that the picture had been altered.

Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra

As it heads into Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra for the Congress party is on its final lap. A picture of the former president of the Congress party circulated on social media as the Yatra travelled through Haryana. Rahul Gandhi was seen eating in the picture.

Rahul Gandhi eating

A dish of what appeared to be chicken drumsticks and a tumbler of whisky were among the various items on the table in front of Gandhi. It is claimed that the photo was taken during the Yatra. Many others shared this picture with the caustic remark, "The ascetic, absorbed in penance," mocking the Congress leader.

According to AFWA's research, this picture was altered. Both meat and booze are absent from the original image.

AFWA Probe

A reverse image search of the viral photograph led us to a tweet sent by Gurpreet Garry Walia, a verified Twitter account who describes himself in his bio as a journalist. Gandhi was pictured with plates of dry fruit and a glass of what appeared to be either tea or coffee in front of him.

खाने की तस्वीर को ज़ूम करके देख रहे होंगे अंधभक्त की कोई गलती मिल जाए , सहमत हो मित्रो 😂 pic.twitter.com/c2HFkWAuuu

— Gurpreet Garry Walia (@_garrywalia) January 8, 2023

"Bhakts must be zooming into the image to examine if they can detect any defects in it," read this tweet from January 8 in full. It was evident from comparing the two pictures that the original picture had been digitally enhanced to include a dish of chicken and a drink of booze.