New Delhi, 17 December 2024: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra carried a handbag with “Palestine” and Palestinian emblems, including a watermelon symbol associated with Palestinian solidarity, to Parliament on Monday. The move, viewed as a show of support for Palestine amid the Gaza conflict, drew sharp political reactions, especially from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
BJP MP Anurag Thakur criticized Gandhi, questioning her intentions. “What message does she want to convey? She did not speak a word about atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh but carries a Palestine bag as a fashion statement,” Thakur remarked.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused Congress of indulging in communal politics, calling the party “the New Muslim League.” In a post on X, Malviya wrote, “Priyanka Vadra carrying a Palestine bag in Parliament is crass virtue signaling cloaked as a stance against patriarchy. Congress is increasingly proving to be the New Muslim League.”
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also expressed strong disapproval of Gandhi’s symbolism.
Responding to BJP leaders’ criticism, Gandhi urged them to take action on the concerns they were raising. “Tell them to address the atrocities against minorities, Hindus and Christians, in Bangladesh. Let them talk to the Bangladesh government and stop these atrocities,” she told reporters.
Gandhi’s solidarity with Palestinians is not new. Last month, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, chargé d’affaires at the Palestinian Embassy in New Delhi, met her to congratulate her on her recent Lok Sabha bypoll victory.
Earlier in June, Gandhi had strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what she described as Israel’s “genocidal actions” in Gaza. Accusing the Israeli government of “barbarism,” she had condemned the ongoing conflict, saying, “It’s no longer enough to speak up for civilians — mothers, fathers, aid workers, journalists, and thousands of innocent children being wiped out day after day.”
Her remarks came after Netanyahu defended Israel’s Gaza operations in a speech to the U.S. Congress, sparking global debate over Israel’s military actions.
The Congress general secretary’s public expressions of solidarity with Palestinians continue to fuel sharp divides in Indian political discourse, with the BJP accusing her of politicizing international issues and indulging in symbolic posturing.
