Claim
The BJP says Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi are 'shape-shifting Hindus' and 'fancy dress Hindus/Sanatanis'.
“बीजेपी कहती है... ये अखिलेश यादव राहुल गांधी ये लोग इच्छाधारी हैं। इच्छाधारी हिंदू फैंसी ड्रेस हिंदू सनातनी।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The anchor's characterization of BJP rhetoric is substantiated. BJP's own website used 'fancy dress Hinduism' for Rahul Gandhi, and BJP spokespersons' 'ichchadhari Hindu' jibe at him was widely reported. For Akhilesh Yadav, BJP leaders have used closely equivalent epithets ('seasonal Hindu') and, in the days before the broadcast, accused him of insulting Sanatan Dharma over a Krishna-avatar poster. The exact words 'ichchadhari/fancy dress' are documented primarily against Rahul Gandhi rather than both leaders, which slightly tempers confidence, but the claim about what 'BJP says' is a fair summary of the party's documented rhetoric.
Evidence
- https://www.bjp.org/video-gallery/rahul-gandhi-practices-aeufancy-dress-hinduismaeutm-he-pretends-be-muslim-behind BJP's official website hosts a video titled 'Rahul Gandhi practices fancy dress Hinduism, he pretends to be a Muslim behind closed doors', confirming the party itself used the 'fancy dress Hindu' epithet for Rahul Gandhi. ✗ unreachable
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr_VEc7H81w India Today's 'India First' broadcast covered BJP's 'Ichchadhari Hindu' (shape-shifting Hindu) barb at Rahul Gandhi during the Hindutva row, confirming BJP spokespersons used that term. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.amarujala.com/video-shots/short-videos/video-meerut-bjp-leader-sangeet-som-called-akhilesh-yadav-a-seasonal-hindu-2025-06-25 BJP leader Sangeet Som called Akhilesh Yadav a 'seasonal Hindu' (June 2025), showing BJP applies the same family of opportunistic-Hindu epithets to Akhilesh Yadav. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.aajtak.in/uttar-pradesh/story/akhilesh-yadav-birthday-sp-workers-portray-him-as-lord-krishna-bjp-demands-apology-lclnt-dskc-2591882-2026-07-01 On 1 July 2026, a day before the broadcast, BJP attacked Akhilesh Yadav over a poster depicting him as Lord Krishna, calling it an insult to Sanatan Dharma — the immediate context for the anchor's remark. ✓ reachable · archived