New Delhi, December 16, 2024: Newly-elected Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sparked controversy on Monday when she carried a bag with “Palestine” written on it to Parliament, which drew a sharp reaction from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
This marks Ms. Gandhi Vadra’s first session in Parliament after her election victory from Kerala’s Wayanad constituency. Since the Israel-Gaza conflict escalated in October 2023, she has been vocal in her criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The bag carried by Priyanka Gandhi also featured a watermelon, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. Last week, she met with Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, the Charge d’affaires of the Palestine Embassy in New Delhi, further highlighting her support for Palestine.
In her past statements, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over what she described as “genocidal actions” in Gaza. She has called on the global community to take action against Israel’s actions, saying it is the “moral responsibility” of every right-thinking individual to condemn such actions.
“Their actions are unacceptable in a world that professes civility and morality,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote on X, condemning Israel’s government and its military actions.