How Priyanka Gandhi’s Palestine bag revived the Israel-Gaza controversy in India.

News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 17th December 2024

Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sparked political and popular discussion on Monday by bringing a bag with the word Palestine on it to Parliament. The bag contained Palestinian insignia, notably a watermelon, which is popularly connected with Palestinian solidarity. While Vadra has been vocal about her support for Palestine and criticism of Israel’s military activities in Gaza, her gesture as the newly elected Wayanad MP has drew substantial attention to her position.

This comes months after Vadra denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration for what she described as homicidal tactics in Gaza during the October 2023 Israeli military onslaught. The offensive was launched in response to Hamas’s October 7 strikes in Gaza. In June, Vadra accused Netanyahu’s administration of barbarism and referred to the situation in Gaza as a horrible holocaust.”It is the moral responsibility of every right-thinking individual, including Israeli citizens who oppose hatred and violence, to condemn the Israeli government’s actions and demand an end to these atrocities,” Vadra wrote in an article for X earlier this year.

According to a PTI report, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, charge d’affaires at the Palestine Embassy in New Delhi, congratulated Vadra on her election victory in Wayanad. Pakistani politician Fawad Chaudhry lauded Vadra’s bold statement and expressed admiration for her solidarity with Palestine. Drawing attention to her lineage, he remarked, “What else could we expect from a granddaughter of a towering freedom fighter like Jawaharlal Nehru?”  

Chaudhry also criticised Pakistani politicians, stating, “Such shame that to date, no Pakistani member of Parliament has demonstrated such courage.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed Vadra, accusing her of appeasement politics. Anirban Ganguly, BJP leader, referred to the Congress as the “new Muslim League” and accused Vadra of ignorance about world geopolitics. Ganguly further claimed that her acts were motivated by anti-Hindu sentiments and divisive politics. “Right from Pt Nehru to Priyanka Gandhi, they have always shown their anti-Hindu mindset,” he claimed. Ganguly also questioned Vadra’s selective campaigning, questioning her silence on the plight of Bangladesh’s minority.

Responding to the BJP’s remarks, Vadra dismissed the criticism as typical patriarchy. Speaking to reporters, she said, “No one will decide what I wear. Who is going to decide what clothes I am going to wear?” Vadra accused the BJP of distracting from pressing humanitarian issues, stating, “Tell them they should do something about the atrocities happening against minorities — Hindus and Christians — in Bangladesh.” Communist Party of India MP P Sandosh Kumar defended Vadra, arguing that the Palestine issue is a humanitarian concern, not appeasement politics. “Carrying a Palestine bag is not Muslim appeasement. Those who relate the Palestine issue to a Muslim issue are doing injustice because this is a humanitarian issue,” Kumar told ANI. He reiterated his party’s support for Palestine, calling it a genuine international issue which we all have to support.

India has denounced the terror attacks against Israel on October 7, while also expressing worry over the continuous loss of innocent life. The Indian government has urged for a quick cease-fire and continued humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s people. India reaffirms its long-standing support for a two-state solution, advocating for the development of a sovereign, independent, and viable Palestinian state that can coexist peacefully with Israel.