New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, who found herself at the centre of controversy over bringing a stray dog to the Parliament on December 1, found tacit support from the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi, while speaking to reporters outside Parliament on Tuesday, said, “These are the things that India is discussing these days.”

When quizzed by the scribes on the dog controversy, Gandhi said, “Dog is the main topic today, I believe. What did the poor dog do? Are they not allowed here?”

When informed by accompanying officials that pets are not allowed in the complex, he said, “Pets are allowed inside,” pointing towards the Parliament.

The controversy over the dog broke out on Monday, when the party’s Rajya Sabha member Renuka Chowdhury brought a rescued stray dog to Parliament and also took a dig at the fellow parliamentarians when questioned about flouting the parliamentary protocol.

Many parliamentarians and BJP leaders criticised her action, calling it theatrics and drama ahead of the Winter Session.

She, however, defended her actions and rather took potshots at fellow parliamentarians, particularly those of the NDA.

“This government does not like animals. Animals don’t have a voice. It (dog) was in the car, so what is their problem? It is so small, does it look like it will bite? Those sitting inside Parliament bite, not dogs.”

Rahul Gandhi’s defence of Renuka Chowdhury over the canine controversy also drew sharp response from the BJP spokespersons, who claimed that this amounted to making a mockery of the temple of democracy.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said that rather than condemning fellow party MP for comparing Parliamentarians and staff with dogs, he was defending her antics.

Renuka Chowdhury, on her part, claimed that she rescued the stray dog from a looming threat while on her way to Parliament and took it along, showing her “self-confessed” love for dogs and pets.

–IANS

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