Priyanka Gandhi bag controversy: BJP mocks Congress MP, 'gifts' her bag featuring '1984' in red dripping ink

Just days after Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi created controversy for carryingbagsdepicting Palestine and Bangladesh in Parliament, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Aparajita Sarangi on Friday (Dec 20) 'gifted' the Wayanad MP a bag with '1984' written on it.

The bag is in clear reference to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 that claimed the lives of 2,730 people from the Sikh community while Congress was in power. A tragic stain on India's history. In 1984, the anti-Sikh riots broke out in Delhi after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

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'Hesitated' but accepted

Speaking to the press, BJP MP Sarangi said, the "honourable MP (Priyanka Gandhi) is very fond of bags, so I gifted her one. She was initially hesitant, but then she accepted it,".

Watch:

The bag she 'gifted' is emblazoned with "1984" in red colour, seemingly with blood dripping from the text.

Priyanka Gandhi's tote bags

On Monday (Dec 16), Gandhi stirred a major controversy by carrying a bag to the parliament featuring the word 'Palestine'. Just a day later, on Tuesday (Dec 17), she doubled down with another bag, that had a quote written on it: "Stand with Bangladeshi Hindus and Christians," a move aimed at drawing attention to atrocities committed against minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh since the ouster of ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has vehemently criticised Priyanka for "prioritising foreign concerns over domestic issues."

"Was the bag a statement? Why has she kept mum on issues of Bangladeshi Hindus? It is a big question mark," a BJP leader was quoted as saying in the Indian media.

(With inputs from agencies)