In a fresh display of political symbolism, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bansuri Swaraj arrived at the Parliament Annexe on Monday, April 21, carrying a tote bag that read “National Herald Ki Loot” in bold lettering. Her appearance came during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on the controversial ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal.
The move is being viewed as a sharp dig at the Gandhi family, especially as the National Herald case remains a hot topic. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have already been chargesheeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged money laundering tied to assets worth ₹2,000 crore.
Tote Bags Spark Fashion-Infused Political Sparring
Bansuri Swaraj’s statement comes in the wake of a series of high-profile bag wars in Indian politics. Last December, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made headlines when she carried a tote with “Palestine” printed on it, prompting criticism from BJP leaders. They accused her of hypocrisy and staying silent on violence against Bangladeshi Hindus.
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#WATCH | Delhi: BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj arrives at Parliament Annexe building to attend JPC meeting on ‘One Nation One Election’ carrying a bag with ‘National Herald Ki Loot’ written on it pic.twitter.com/i4zhdkdF0m
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2025
In response to the backlash, Vadra defiantly said, “Who is going to decide what clothes I wear now?… That’s typical patriarchy… I will wear what I want,” as quoted by NDTV.
The very next day, she was seen with a new bag that read “Stand with Bangladeshi Hindus and Christians,” highlighting the communal violence following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s electoral loss in Bangladesh.
BJP’s Response: ‘1984’ And Now ‘National Herald Ki Loot’
Adding fuel to the growing handbag war, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi had earlier gifted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra a tote that read “1984,” referencing the anti-Sikh riots that followed Indira Gandhi’s assassination. According to Sarangi, Vadra accepted the bag without any remark and walked away.
Now, Bansuri Swaraj’s bag has intensified this trend of political messaging through fashion, reinforcing the BJP’s stance on the National Herald case and aiming to keep the issue in public discourse.
