Govt hiding poor people and animals from G20 dignitaries: Rahul Gandhi

The Congress on Saturday accused the government of covering up or demolishing slums and rounding up stray animals in view of the G20 Summit, with its leader Rahul Gandhi saying "there is no need to hide India's reality from our guests."

The Congress shared a video on X, formerly Twitter, showing some slum areas being covered with green sheets ahead of the two-day summit, which began here on Saturday and was attended by leaders of the largest economies of the world.

"The Government of India is hiding our poor people and animals. There is no need to hide India's reality from our guests," Gandhi, who is currently abroad, said in a post on X.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also attacked the prime minister over the matter.

"G20 is intended to be a productive gathering of the major world economies, aimed at dealing with global problems in a cooperative manner. President Putin may have stayed away, but Prince Potemkin has been in full display with slums being either covered up or demolished, rendering thousands homeless. Stray animals have been cruelly rounded up and mistreated, only to burnish the PM's image," Ramesh said in a statement.

In addition to the video of slums being covered up, the opposition party shared videos of cruelty towards stray dogs and animals ahead of the G20 Summit.

"The government considers us insects. Are we not humans," said a slum resident, whose video the Congress shared.

"Before G20, Modi government has covered their houses with curtains to hide its failure. Because the king hates the poor," the opposition party said on its X handle.

"Watch this video to witness the shocking cruelty inflicted upon innocent street dogs by the Modi government in preparation for the G20 summit.

"Dogs are being dragged by their necks, beaten with sticks and thrown into cages. They are being denied food and water, and they are being subjected to extreme stress and fear," it said.

"It is imperative that we raise our voices against such appalling acts and demand justice for these voiceless victims," the opposition party said.