'Deplorable': Hindu Leader Slams Mark Zuckerberg for Photo of Dog in Jewish Clothing

Mark Zuckerberg makes no secret about his Jewish heritage. In 2017 he said he often sings a "Mi Shebeirach" prayer to his daughter – "As a Jew, my parents taught me that we must stand up against attacks on all communities."

An online post by Mark Zuckerberg showing his pet dog wearing a Jewish prayer shawl has infuriated Hindu outfit Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), with its top leader slamming the Facebook co-founder for "double standards." SJM is a wing of Rashtriya Swayamasevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). 

Ashwani Mahajan, SJM's national convenor, called Zuckerberg "deplorable" for the post. 

— ASHWANI MAHAJAN (@ashwani_mahajan) July 18, 2021

​Zuckerberg's photo was a response to comments he received from popular Facebook group "Dogspotting Society" after he posted about a new Facebook feature. "Admins can collaborate with group experts to host Q&A, share perspectives, and respond to questions," he wrote. 

"I am excited for you to try these updates so I wanted to do a Q&A on something I may be a bit of expert at:owning a Puli!" he wrote alongside the image of his dog on the group's page.

He also uploaded other images of dogs sporting human clothing. 

 

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 14, 2021

​The post has been flooded with comments, a large number of these pushing a pro-Palestinian message even though the photo lacked any connection to Israel.

Zuckerberg was also slammed by many for dressing up the animal in human clothes. "You need to respect dogs. They are not for your entertainment. They are family. Not for dressing up and amusement," read one comment." I hate that people abuse their fur babies for ‘amusement’. Just lame and insipid,"read another. 

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