'Nehru's granddaughter': Pakistani politician praises Priyanka over Palestine bag
What's the story
Pakistani politician Fawad Chaudhry has praised Congress MP and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for taking a bag with "Palestine" written on it to Parliament on Monday. The bag, which also had Palestinian symbols like a watermelon—a symbol of Palestinian solidarity—was a display of support for the Palestinian cause. Chaudhry praised Vadra's gesture on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "What else could we expect from a granddaughter of a towering freedom fighter like Jawaharlal Nehru?"
Twitter Post
Fawad Chaudhry praises Priyanka on X
What else could we expect from a granddaughter of a towering freedom fighter like Jawaharlal Nehru? Priyanka Gandhi has stood tall amidst pigmies, such shame that to date, no Pakistani member of Parliament has demonstrated such courage.#ThankYou pic.twitter.com/vV3jfOXLQq
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 16, 2024
Political backlash
Vadra's gesture sparks controversy in Parliament
Vadra's gesture drew criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP MP Anurag Thakur asked what message she wanted to send by carrying the bag. He noted Vadra didn't speak about atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh but decided to make a statement with Palestine bag. To this, Vadra replied, "No one will decide what I would wear... This is typical patriarchy, deciding what a woman should wear." She also asked BJP leaders to speak about minority issues in Bangladesh.
Solidarity endorsement
Congress and Palestine embassy support Vadra's gesture
Backing Vadra's action, Congress spokesperson Dr. Shama Mohammed shared a picture of her with the bag and said it symbolized compassion and commitment to justice and humanity. Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, Charge d'affaires of the Palestine Embassy in New Delhi, also recently congratulated Vadra on her election victory from Kerala's Wayanad. The seat was earlier held by her brother Rahul Gandhi.
International stance
Vadra's past criticism of Israel and India's UN vote
Notably, Vadra has spoken out against Israel's actions in Gaza in the past. In June, she had slammed Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for "genocidal actions" in Gaza after an Israeli military offensive launched after October 7 attacks by Hamas. This comes as India recently voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding Israel's withdrawal from Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. The resolution was part of ongoing global discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.