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In what appeared to be a counter to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s handbag with "Palestine" written on it, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj carried a black bag with the words “National Herald Ki Loot” printed in red on Tuesday. She was seen with the bag at the Parliament annexe while attending a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) discussing the bills related to ‘One Nation One Election’. The move was seen as a symbolic dig at the Congress party amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the National Herald case .
Drawing a parallel to Priyanka Gandhi’s accessory, Swaraj's bag echoed the BJP’s focus on the alleged financial misconduct by Congress leaders. Speaking to ANI news agency, Swaraj said, “This is the first time that corruption has taken place in the fourth pillar of democracy-media. The charge sheet filed by the ED highlights the old working style and ideology of the Congress party.
In the guise of service, they make public institutions a tool to increase their personal property. This is a very serious matter..
.The Congress party and its top leadership are accountable for this.” The case involves senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who have been accused of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Congress, however, has rejected the accusations, calling them an act of political revenge by the BJP. On April 15, the ED filed a charge sheet in a special court in New Delhi, naming Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others, alleging they laundered ₹ 988 crore in the National Herald case. Reacting to the allegations regarding the National Herald case, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said at a press conference held on Monday at the Delhi Congress office, “The political assault on the integrity and reputation of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is an abuse of power.
” He added, “The facts of the case made it clear that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the behest of its political masters is carrying on a vendetta against the opposition party leaders.” Resemblance to Priyanka Gandhi’s handbag with the word ‘Palestine’ on it In December last year, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sparked controversy in Parliament by carrying a handbag with a Palestine theme, drawing strong criticism from BJP leaders. The Wayanad MP’s bag featured the word “Palestine” along with symbols like a watermelon — widely recognised as an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
However, Vadra’s sharp retort to her critics quickly went viral, as she pushed back against what she called patriarchal attitudes. Responding to reporters who asked about BJP’s objection to her outfit — seen as a political statement in support of Palestine — Vadra said, “No one will decide what would I wear.” She added, "Who is going to decide what clothes I am going to wear? This is typical patriarchy, deciding what a woman should wear," while speaking to a reporter.
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