Aparajita Sarangi gifts ‘1984’ Sikh-riot bag to Priyanka Gandhi in Parliament

A vocal supporter of Palestine, Wayanad Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been carrying a bag to Parliament that shows her solidarity with Palestine. It also features a watermelon, a symbol of solidarity with Palestine.

Time and again, Priyanka has been vocal against Israel’s war with Palestine after the attacks by Hamas in October last year. She was also seen leading a protest demanding justice for Hindus ‘facing atrocities’ in Bangladesh.

However, Priyanka’s act has led to a flurry of reactions across social media and political circles. While some view it as a legitimate political statement, others see it as a provocative act within the walls of Parliament.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused her of ‘appeasement’ politics. In protest, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi on Friday presented Priyanka Vadra with a bag bearing the inscription '1984' in red colour.

The gesture was captured in a video that quickly gained traction, showing  Priyanka accepting the bag. The reference to 1984 evokes memories of the anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. 

Earlier, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had targeted Priyanka for carrying the ‘Palestine bag’ in Parliament and her claims that the UP government sent youngsters to a ‘war zone’ in reference to ‘Israel’.

“Yesterday, a Congress leader was in Parliament with a bag that had ‘Palestine’ written on it. Meanwhile, we are sending UP’s youths to Israel. So far, more than 5600 youths have been sent to Israel for construction-related works,” Yogi said in the Parliament.