On Wednesday morning, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra changed her display picture on Twitter.
This was swiftly followed by a slew disrespectful and inappropriate comments about her outfit in the new picture.
Gandhi made her Twitter account on February 11, clocking over 6,000 followers within a few minutes. Her previous picture showed her in a maroon saree with a long-sleeved blouse.
She later changed it to one of her wearing a pair of denim jeans and a navy blue shirt.
Many speculated that she did so in response to BJP minister Harish Dwivedi’s comments on her outfit shortly after she was appointment the national general secretary of the Indian National Congress.
On February 9, the minister said, “Everyone knows Priyanka Gandhi wears jeans when she is in Delhi but wears saris when she visits Congress bastions,”
#WATCH BJP MP Harish Dwivedi in Basti: Rahul fail hain toh Priyanka bhi fail hain. Jab Priyanka Gandhi Delhi mein rehti hain toh jeans aur top mein rehti hai aur jab shetra mein aati hain toh saree aur sindoor laga kar aati hain.
(09.02.2019) pic.twitter.com/ksA8DcI0Hi— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 10, 2019
Some called it an election gimmick and others decided to boycott her election rallies, referring to the long list of scams her husband Robert Vadra is accused of perpetrating.
Gandhi ji always wore one type of clothes. But what about you. Sometime jeans and top ,othertimes saree. Not confident about your clothings? Do you think people can be befooled by wearing saree.
— Rakesh Bhardwaj (@bhardwajrakesh4) March 13, 2019
Priyanka Vadra jiiiiii's make up for election campaign, change the jeans and wear the saree leave the english and try to make fool in hindi.
Husband is under investigation for list of scams and herself talks about country. Sheer shameless. All her rallies must be bycotted https://t.co/xuBJGk3xJH
— brijesh (@brijeshsingh124) March 13, 2019
However, some also lambasted politicians and Twitter users for making sexist comments against her and appreciated her for breaking away from the conventional image of a woman politician.
This is the profile pic on official @priyankagandhi handle….
A tight slap to all who criticised her for wearing sari only at the time of elections…
Plain, simple and just her….. Take that Bhakts ✋#priyankaenterspolitics pic.twitter.com/ITVtWB4lvK
— Arnaz Hathiram (@ArnazHathiram) March 14, 2019
I love @priyankagandhi's new Twitter DP. Cool and causal in denims. She is the modern Indian woman who is comfortable in a saree and pair of jeans and is not afraid to let the world know she wears both. We need such open and liberated women politicians in India. #Respect
— Amena (@Fashionopolis) March 14, 2019
A woman politician in jeans, most refreshing face I've seen in a long time. Now THIS is #NewIndia @priyankagandhi pic.twitter.com/BFslOquuGk
— Ethel Da Costa (@DacostaEthel) March 14, 2019
This is not the first time that women politicians have faced sexist comments – especially with regard to their outfits.
Soon after Gandhi’s appointment, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya called her a “chocolatey” face among other political leaders contesting in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Recently, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav body-shamed Vasundhara Raje saying, “she has become fat, earlier, she used to be thin.”
Similarly, in 2017, Akhilesh Yadav passed rude comments against Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati. “How could we have given space to her [Mayawati]?” he said. “She takes so much space, even her party symbol is that of an elephant.”
Featured image credit: Twitter