The Cat is Out of the Bag in Indian Political Symbolanza

Political rhetoric is a weapon of innovative aggression. The bag wars between the Congress and BJP started when Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Parliament with a 'Palestine' bag.

- Ravi Shankar

Her next day's tote read 'Bangladesh ke Hindu aur Isaiyon ke saath khade ho' (Stand with the Hindus and Christians of Bangladesh). Tote is slang for 'to carry a heavy load'. Priyanka's load is heavy indeed, since the Congress champions secularism, which in BJP political shorthand means 'minority appeasement', while her party also tries to bag the Hindu vote. The saffron response to Priyanka's bag was hardly subtle: its MP Aparajita Sarangi presented the Gandhi girl with a tote bag with '1984' printed on it, indicating the Congress role in the Sikh riots, though what it has to do with Bangladesh or Palestine is about as clear as a day in Delhi with an AQI index of 500-plus.