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’.

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'.

During my visit to India, I had told the Prime Minister @narendramodi that he looked great in those vests, and he duly sent them over, all meticulously tailored to my size. I would like to thank him for this kind gesture. pic.twitter.com/wRgekJSW16

— 문재인 (@moonriver365) October 31, 2018

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.

It’s really nice of our PM to send these but could he not have sent them without changing the name? All my life I’ve known these jackets as Nehru jackets & now I find these ones have been labelled “Modi Jacket”. Clearly nothing existed in India before 2014. https://t.co/MOa0wY37tr

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 31, 2018

WTF. That's a Nehru jacket not a UPA scheme that Modi can just rename and claim as his own creation! https://t.co/YmxWzdlmP8

— Manisha Pande (@MnshaP) October 31, 2018

Mr. President, You are wrong. This is not Modi Vest, this is Nehru jacket. Modi is no Nehru, can never be one. If anything Modi, that is Khaki Nikkar. https://t.co/8DrZ8b1RVM

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) October 31, 2018

So PM Modi changed the label from Nehru Jacket to Modi Jacket. OMG https://t.co/LSNdJYaFlb

— Sanjay Yadav (@sanjuydv) October 31, 2018

Nehru jacket!!! How dare u !! It has gone back to its true real sanskari name... The historical "Modi jacket." Ambassador, did u not know that the "Nehru jacket" was a Moghul conspiracy !! https://t.co/Bt7sPAJm0A

— Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) October 31, 2018

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

I too like it being called Modi jacket. Given PM’s connect with citizens, it gets many takers. And why not :)

A smart business is a good thing!

PS: there’s a Modi Mills in Delhi. Be it Gujarat or Modi, etc. etc. probably anything can get unfairly pegged with PM. So...

— Amrita Bhinder (@amritabhinder) October 31, 2018

Jackets were before Nehru also. The jacket which Nehru was wearing having a different cut. It is Modi who made it popular. Hence no harm in calling it as Modi jacket. https://t.co/8NMpAslZU9

— rssoni (@rssoni) October 31, 2018

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.