Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi is in the news for creating controversy. Recently, a photograph of her carrying a bag with the word ‘Palestine’ on it was doing the rounds on the social media. The image is undated and was posted on social media by Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed on 16 December. Priyanka Gandhi is smiling with the bag in hand which has attracted the attention of the social media users.
The post soon became the talk of the town, with some users criticising her for displaying support for Palestine on Vijay Diwas, a day of great importance to India. The day marks the victory of India over Pakistan during the 1971 war, which resulted in the birth of Bangladesh. Many people feel that it is inappropriate to carry a symbol associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas on the very day that marks India’s military success.
Smt. @priyankagandhi Ji shows her solidarity with Palestine by carrying a special bag symbolizing her support.
A gesture of compassion, commitment to justice and humanity! She is clear that nobody can violate the Geneva convention pic.twitter.com/2i1XtQRd2T
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) December 16, 2024
One user commented that it would have suited Priyanka much better if she had chosen to grab something that represented India‘s victory. The comment was, “She should immediately fire her advisors.” In spite of the criticism, however, the post found its share of supporters, with some of the users agreeing to this within the first few minutes of posting.
The conflict in Palestine has been ongoing, but mainly since Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory in October 2023, killing over a thousand Israelis. Israel responded by starting military actions withinPalestinian territories. A huge number of Palestinian civilians, and most of them in Gaza, have been killed as the hospitals in the areas experienced heavy fighting.
While the international community condemned the attacks by Hamas, the situation soon evolved into a humanitarian crisis, drawing global attention to the plight of Palestinian citizens. Many people worldwide have expressed solidarity with Palestinians amidst the ongoing conflict.
The backlash against the accessory chosen by Priyanka Gandhi reflects a larger debate of how political symbols, such as support for Palestine, are perceived in the context of different places. The debate brings to the fore the highly sensitive nature of the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict and how global political affairs affect local sentiments.
In fact, as the situation escalates in Palestine, politicians and public figures across the globe would find themselves under intense scrutiny in regards to their associations and displays of solidarity with either side of the conflict.
