Fact Check: Claim That Rajiv And Sonia Gandhi Were Married In A Christian Ceremony Is Fake, They Had A Hindu Wedding
The claim that Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi were married according to Christian customs is fake. They were married according to Hindu customs.
- By: Abhishek Parashar
- Published: Apr 3, 2025 at 09:57 AM
New Delhi (Vishvas News): Social media users are sharing a picture of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, claiming it is from their wedding and suggesting that they were married in a Christian ceremony instead of a Hindu one. The viral image features Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi together.
Vishvas News investigated and found this claim to be false. The viral picture is not from their wedding, and multiple pieces of evidence confirm that Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi were married according to Hindu customs.
What is viral?
Social media user ‘Mereddy Venkateshwara Reddy‘ shared the viral photo with the caption, “A young couple getting their marriage registered in a Delhi Church. And their son is busy today in teaching Hindus…the difference btw Hinduism and Hindutva.”
Investigation
A keyword search for ’Rajiv Gandhi Sonia Gandhi wedding’ led to several pictures of their wedding. According to a News18 report dated October 7, 2015, “Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Maino were married on February 25, 1968, in a private ceremony at 1 Safdarjung Road.”
The report, citing Rashid Kidwai’s book, states that Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi exchanged garlands amid Vedic chants and the sound of the Shehnai before signing the registrar’s book in the presence of Deputy Commissioner BN Tandon. Following this, they exchanged rings. The ceremony was attended only by close family members and friends.
Their wedding video is available on the YouTube channel ‘British Movietone’, where Rajiv can be seen wearing a Patiala Achkan and Churidar Pyjama with a turban, while Sonia is wearing a sari.
According to inc.in, they got married according to Hindu customs in New Delhi in 1968.
Our investigation confirms that the viral photo is not of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi’s wedding. The couple was married in a simple ceremony following Hindu customs.
Vishvas News contacted author Rashid Kidwai regarding the viral photo. He confirmed that this photo is not of Rajiv and Sonia’s wedding and stated, “The two were married in a private ceremony as a civil marriage according to Hindu customs.”
A feature post on Indiatimes.com includes several pictures from Rajiv and Sonia’s wedding, confirming that their marriage was conducted according to Hindu rituals.
Previously, several unrelated pictures of Rajiv and Sonia have been shared with the fake claim of ‘nikah’. A fact check report debunking these claims can be read here.
We then conducted a reverse image search to verify the source of the viral picture. However, we did not find any credible reference confirming its authenticity. While Sonia can be seen in this picture, there is no verified evidence from any reliable source confirming that the person sitting beside her is Rajiv Gandhi.
Regarding the viral photo, Kidwai stated, “The person seen in it is not the young Rajiv Gandhi as he looked at the time of his marriage.”
An archived report from The Indian Express, published on February 26, 1968, under the headline Rajiv weds Sonia Maino, confirms that Rajiv and Sonia exchanged garlands amid Vedic chanting and the sound of the Shehnai. They then signed the registrar’s book in the presence of Deputy Commissioner BN Tandon.
Our investigation confirms that Rajiv and Sonia were married according to Hindu rituals. However, we cannot verify the authenticity of the viral photo associated with this claim.
Recently, a video featuring Rahul Gandhi also went viral with the claim that, unlike most people who wash their hands after wearing shoes, he allegedly washes his hands before putting them on. Vishvas News found this claim to be false in its investigation and is being shared with the intention of political propaganda.
Conclusion: The claim that Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi were married according to Christian customs is fake. They were married according to Hindu customs.
- Claim Review : Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi were married according to Christian customs.
- Claimed By : FB User-Mereddy Venkateshwara Reddy
- Fact Check : False
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