Fact Check: Did Priyanka Gandhi carry an anti-Bangladeshi-Hindu bag to parliament? No, the image is digitally altered
An image showing Priyanka Gandhi carrying a bag with a message claiming she doesn’t care about Bangladeshi Hindus is circulating on social media.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 18 Dec 2024 1:22 PM GMT
Claim: The image shows Priyanka Gandhi carrying a bag with a message stating she doesn't care about Bangladeshi Hindus.
Fact: The image is digitally altered. The original picture shows Priyanka Gandhi carrying a bag with a pro-Palestine message.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has recently been in the news for her choice of handbags, each bearing politically charged messages.
In this context, an image of Priyanka toting a bag with the message, “I don’t care about Bangladeshi Hindus,” has gone viral on social media.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found the claim to be false, as the bag and the text on it were digitally altered.
We reviewed Priyanka Gandhi's official Instagram account and found a video posted on December 16, showing her carrying a bag with a solidarity message for Palestine while on her way to Parliament.
The bag prominently displayed the word “Palestine” and featured symbols representing solidarity with the Palestinian cause, including a watermelon — a long-recognized emblem of resistance in the region.
We also found an identical image in an India Today report dated December 16, titled "Priyanka Gandhi Makes a Statement with 'Palestine' Bag in Parliament, BJP Reacts." According to the report, Priyanka Gandhi has been a long-time advocate for the Palestinian cause and has strongly voiced her opposition to the conflict in Gaza.
The viral image matches the outfit Priyanka Gandhi wore in the video she shared on Instagram, further confirming that the bag displayed a message of solidarity with Palestine, not the misleading text circulated online.
The BJP criticised Priyanka Gandhi, accusing her of indulging in tokenism and diverting attention from domestic issues. Some questioned the appropriateness of highlighting an international cause during a parliamentary session. In response, Priyanka Gandhi defended her choice, emphasising her autonomy over personal attire and dismissing the backlash as “typical patriarchy.”
Doubling down, Priyanka Gandhi shared another video on December 17, showing her arriving at Parliament with a new bag displaying the slogan “Stand with Bangladeshi Hindus and Christians.”
According to an NDTV report dated December 17, Priyanka Gandhi's "bag move" inspired other Opposition MPs to carry similar bags as a form of collective protest. The report also mentioned that during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on December 16, Priyanka Gandhi urged the government to address atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. She called on the Centre to engage diplomatically with Dhaka to ensure the safety of Hindus and Christians.
Hence, we conclude that the viral image is digitally edited, and the claim that Priyanka Gandhi carried a bag with a message disregarding Bangladeshi Hindus is false.
