We send youth to Israel: Adityanath slams Priyanka for Palestine bag

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for carrying a bag with “Palestine” written on it. He said that when his state is sending youth to work in Israel, Congress is carrying bags backing the Palestinian cause, the Free Press Journal (FPJ) reported.

Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh assembly, they claimed that more than 5,600 youths work in Israel as construction workers and earn Rs 1.5 lakh in salaries with free food and accommodation. The youths are provided with complete security, too, he added.

Adityanath said, "A Congress leader was roaming around in the Parliament carrying a bag with Palestine written on it while we are sending the youth of Uttar Pradesh to Israel. More than 5,600 youth of UP have gone to Israel for construction work so far. Every youth gets free accommodation and food, a salary of Rs 1.5 lakh per month, and complete security, which is also guaranteed," FPJ quoted the minister.

After Priyanka, the MP representing Kerala’s Wayanad constituency, came to Parliament carrying the mentioned bag on Monday, a huge row happened. The bag had “Palestine” written on it, and there were emblems such as a watermelon embedded in it. Watermelon is a symbol often associated with solidarity with Palestine.

Priyanka slammed the BJP for making the bag an issue, saying that the party-led Centre must take steps regarding the atrocities happening in Bangladesh against minorities and Hindus.

On October 7 last year, the militant group Hamas carried out a lightning attack in Israel, triggering a war in Gaza. So far, more than 45,000 Palestinians died since the Israel invasion of Gaza, while 1,06,962 were estimated as injured.