Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday weighed in on the controversy over colleague Renuka Chowdhury bringing a stray dog to Parliament House, saying pets are not allowed outside the complex but “inside”.“Dog is the main topic of today, I believe. What has the poor dog done. The dog had come here. Why is it not allowed?” Gandhi told reporters, as quoted by PTI.Pointing towards the Parliament House building, he said, “Pets are not allowed here but they are allowed inside.”“I guess these are the things that India is discussing these days,” he added.Gandhi’s comments drew criticism from BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, who said on X, “Rahul Gandhi is comparing his own Congressmen, and Opposition leaders to Dog! This is how Parivarvadi treat temple of democracy.”Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury on Monday brought a stray dog onto the Parliament grounds on the first day of the Winter Session, despite objections from fellow MPs. Defending her action, she reportedly said that the “real dogs are sitting in Parliament” who regularly bite people.Chowdhury later explained that she had found the puppy on her way to Parliament. She said she stopped after witnessing a collision between a scooter and a car, and noticed the puppy by the roadside before deciding to take it with her.