Delhi: A sharp political exchange has erupted after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra responded strongly to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his recent remarks suggesting that she is frequently “on leave” or vacation. The confrontation has quickly gained traction online, with video clips of her rebuttal going viral across social media platforms.
During a televised interaction, Priyanka dismissed the criticism and clarified that she had taken a brief personal break to spend time with her daughter, who had received a short leave from work. “I had every right to take three days off to be with my child,” she said, asserting that public representatives are not devoid of personal lives.
Turning the attack back on the Home Minister, she added, “Instead of commenting on my leave, perhaps he should quit his old habits of spying on women for ‘Saheb’.” The remark was widely interpreted as a reference to the 2013 surveillance controversy that had surfaced during Shah’s tenure as Gujarat’s Home Minister.
The controversy Priyanka alluded to traces back to allegations published in 2013 by investigative portals, which released audio recordings claiming that a young woman was placed under surveillance in Gujarat in 2009. At the time, opposition parties had alleged political misuse of state machinery, while both Narendra Modi — then Gujarat Chief Minister — and Amit Shah firmly denied any wrongdoing.
The woman at the centre of the case later told the Supreme Court she was “grateful” for the surveillance and sought to halt further investigation. The matter gradually receded from the headlines, though it remains a politically sensitive issue.
Priyanka’s remarks have reignited debate, with the Congress accusing the BJP of personal attacks to divert attention from governance issues, while BJP leaders have criticised her comments as an attempt to revive settled controversies.
