Modi Vest or Nehru Jacket? South Korean Prez’s Tweet Sparks Debate

Twitterati were quick to slam what they indicated was an ‘appropriation of Nehru’s legacy by Modi’.

Several people on Twitter were quick to slam what they indicated was an appropriation of Nehru’s legacy by Modi.

(Photo: PTI/Twitter/Altered by The Quint)

Whose jacket is it anyway – Modi’s or Nehru’s?

This is what Twitter users were debating on Wednesday, 31 October, after South Korean President Moon Jae-in took to the social media platform to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting him what he dubbed as the 'Modi Vest'.

One of the pictures posted showed the jackets branded as 'Modi Jacket', with the South Korean president saying, "These are modernized versions of traditional Indian costume, known as the 'Modi Vest', that can also be worn easily in Korea. They fit perfectly."

Now, the garments that the South Korean president showed off on Twitter are eponymous with India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and are commonly referred to as Nehru jackets.

Several people on Twitter, including former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, were quick to slam what they indicated was an appropriation of Nehru's legacy by Modi.

But some defended its labelling as ‘Modi jacket’ in the entire fracas.

The jackets worn by Modi are apparently tailored by a shop that he has patronised since his time as the Gujarat chief minister, according to an NDTV report.