Congress leader and member of parliament (MP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who stirred up a storm in Parliament by carrying a Palestine-themed handbag, has responded to the criticism, particularly from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
“Who is going to decide what clothes I am going to wear? This is typical patriarchy, deciding what a woman should wear,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is heard telling a reporter after being asked by the reporters about BJP leaders questioning the appropriateness of her outfit.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi made a political statement in a show of support for Palestine people on Monday as she flashed her bag while moving in and out of the Parliament. The bag reading ‘Palestine’ is a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians, and it also features a watermelon. The fruit motif is a long-recognised symbol of resistance in the region.
Gandhi’s move did not resonate well with the opposition, inviting snide criticism from BJP leader Sambit Patra, who called it an “appeasement bag”.
Who is going to decide what clothes I am going to wear? This is typical patriarchy, deciding what a woman should wear.
During a press briefing, Sambit Patra said, “The Gandhi family has always been carrying the bag of appeasement. The appeasement bag is the reason behind their rout in elections.”
A Longtime Supporter of the Palestine Cause
The Congress general secretary, who is a first-time MP, has been speaking against Israel’s actions in Palestine’s Gaza and expressing solidarity with Palestinians since the onset of the conflict.
Earlier this month, speaking during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s long-standing support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict by calling for the establishment of a “sovereign, independent, and viable Palestinian state” alongside Israel.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s X handle is full of solidarity posts for the people of Gaza, something that no other top-level Congress leader has been doing.
In June, she slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what she said were the Israel government’s “genocidal actions” in Gaza, as she accused him and his government of “barbarism”.