‘But when Cate Blanchett moved, cameras captured the back of the dress, which appeared white. When she lifted her hem, they captured its green inner lining, too. Against the red carpet, Blanchett appeared to be a walking tribute to the Palestinian flag…’
By Megha Bajaj
The temperature of this winter session of Parliament soared when Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appeared with her tote bags, signaling solidarity for the people of Palestine, especially for mothers who have lost their children, killed in the genocide. Her unique style of solidarity instantly became viral on social media, it captured the attention of parliamentarians, and grabbed the headlines in mainstream media.
She donned a tote bag inscribed with ‘PALESTINE’ in bold, capital letters, along with other symbols, such as a watermelon, representing Palestinian unity, and, now, a symbol of solidarity with Gaza all over the world. The next day, she carried another tote bag displaying messages condemning atrocities against the minorities in Bangladesh. Her bold gesture underscored her commitment to human rights in India, and other parts of the world.
Interestingly, this incident evoked memories of the country’s first woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi’s grandmother, who was a steadfast supporter of Palestinian self-determination, including the diplomatic recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by the legendary, Yasser Arafat.
In a recent meeting with Dr Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Palestine in New Delhi, she recalled her childhood experiences of meeting the late Palestinian leader during his visits to India, to engage with former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, her father. Indeed, earlier, India had always steadfastly stood with Palestinian freedom.
Taking this incident to another level, the opposition demonstrated in unique ways in Parliament, raising their voices against issues like the indictment of businessman Gautam Adani by a US court. They donned jackets and T-shirts with the slogan ‘Modi-Adani ek hain’.
Indeed, symbolism often scores more than words and rhetoric.
Similarly, in another context, US Congresswoman and a member of the ‘socialist squad’ with Democrat Bernie Sanders as leader, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines by wearing a white gown with the message, ‘Tax the Rich’ in red at the MET Gala 2023, which captured widespread attention in America. Her bold move quickly became a viral sensation, though, predictably, in an advanced capitalist nation, it received significant criticism also.
Oscar winning star Cate Blanchett ostensibly made a Pro-palestinian statement, clad in a a black off-shoulder Jean Paul Gaultier dress designed by Haider Ackermann at the 2024 Cannes Red Carpet on May 20, this year in France. The Guardian of London reported: “But when Blanchett moved, cameras captured the back of the dress, which appeared white. When she lifted her hem, they captured its green inner lining, too. Against the red carpet, Blanchett appeared to be a walking tribute to the Palestinian flag… It wouldn’t be out of character for the Australian actor. Last November, amid a flurry of silencing of Hollywood figures who spoke out against the atrocities of Israel’s war on Gaza, Blanchett called for a ceasefire and support of refugees at the European Parliament…”
The report quoted her: “I am not from Israel or Palestine. I am not a politician. I am not even a pundit,” she said. “But I am a witness, and having witnessed the human cost of war, violence and persecution, visiting refugees from across the globe, I cannot look away.” Blanchett was one of the first in Hollywood who signed Artists4Ceasefire’s open letter to Joe Biden, seeking an end to the war.
Not only this, a Moroccan filmmaker, Asmae El Moudir, Un Certain Regard Jury member at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, 2024, expressed her support for Palestine at the closing ceremony by flaunting a Palestinian flag sewn onto her glove.
Famous American model of Palestinian descent, Bella Hadid, donned a red dress, designed with a ‘keffiyeh’, the famous Palestinian black and white scarf, used as a symbol of protest and solidarity all across the world. Thousands of students in American campuses and other universities across the world, donned the scarf, seeking ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Gaza, including during their convocation ceremonies. Hadid, who has supported Palestine on several occasions in the past, has received praise on social media for her uncanny dressing style, resembling a ‘keffiyeh’.
British actress Pascale Kann came in an outfit with Arabic text — ‘Palestine’. Specifically, many actors appeared with different styles showing their solidarity for the Palestinian cause in the 2024 Cannes Red Carpet in France.
Earlier, ‘Taking the Knee’ became another radical example of symbolic protest against racism in America, and, quickly, spread in the US, across the Western nations, and in other parts of the world. It became a point of synthesis with the massive ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, against police atrocities against the Afro-American community in the US, and against entrenched racism across society, and inside power structures.
In 2016, American football player, Colin Kaepernick, knelt during the national anthem before a pre-season match for San Francisco. He was thereafter victimised by the football establishment. Later, in solidarity with him, it was adopted by footballers around the world. Kaepernick said that he couldn’t stand to show pride in the flag of a country that oppressed Black people.
Moreover, symbolic protests have been widely used in the Black Lives Matter protests. In 2020, Premier League clubs took up the Black Lives Matter cause after the death of George Floyd, who was choked to death by cops in Minneapolis, Minnesota, America. England’s men and women’s teams have knelt before games since 2020 in solidarity with the protests.
In this context, Vadra’s bold move invited a predictable backlash from some leaders of the ruling party. Ironically, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused her of “appeasement”, asserting that the Congress party uses different agendas to garner votes. Union MoS SP Singh Bhagel further claimed that she was trying to appease, satisfy, and polarize Muslim voters.
Her fearless response was: “Typical patriarchy”. She added, “No one will decide what I wear. Who is going to decide what clothes I am going to wear?”
She has been vocal about condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and has expressed solidarity with Palestinians since the beginning of the conflict. Her courageous stance also highlighted her criticism of the Benjamin Netanyahu government, which she described as engaging in “genocidal and barbaric” actions in Gaza.
In a tweet, she said, “It is no longer enough to speak up for the civilians, mothers, fathers, doctors, nurses, aid workers, journalists, teachers, writers, poets, senior citizens, and the thousands of innocent children, who are being wiped out day after day by the horrific genocide taking place in Gaza.”
She has also emphasized that it is the Indian government’s duty to address the atrocities occurring in Bangladesh, against the minorities and Hindus.”The government should raise the issue of atrocities against minorities, both Hindus and Christians, in Bangladesh. It should discuss this with the Bangladesh government and support those who are in pain,” she stated during a parliamentary session.
Undoubtedly, subtle or overt symbolism, intelligently done, conveys a message which can become very powerful in certain contexts. Priyanka Gandhi’s daring act of wearing symbolic tote bags goes beyond fashion or a style-statement.
It raises significant concern for the oppressed, against injustice and mass murder, and stands for the victims of severe humanitarian crises. Indeed, it should not be considered superficial, or an act of appeasement, rather as an authentic expression of India’s political and moral responsibility on the global stage.
Clearly, an innocuous tote bag with a watermelon, is worth more than a thousand words.