Modi Vest Or Nehru Jacket? Gift To Korean President Stirs Twitter Debate

Korean President Moon Jae-in's tweet thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a tailormade "Modi Vest" stirred a huge debate on Twitter today. Before 2014, it was a Nehru jacket, argued many on Twitter.

It all started with the Korean President's tweets thanking PM Modi for "meticulously tailored" vests. He had complimented the Indian prime minister, seen usually in full sleeve kurta, pyjama and his patent half-sleeve Modi jacket, as it has come to be known.

The Korean leader's photos showed jackets in four colours and the label - "MODI jacket", the prime minister's name in all caps.
 

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

That endorsement played right into a Twitter storm. Many users sought to set the record straight.

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

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

Fashion tips from world leaders! The Modi Jacket/Vest https://t.co/3PAcgWMz4U

— Advaita Kala / अद्वैता काला (@AdvaitaKala) October 31, 2018

There's another takeover of the Congress legacy: Now the Nehru jacket is known as the Modi jacket.

— Uzair Hasan Rizvi (@RizviUzair) October 31, 2018

PM Modi's jackets are reportedly fashioned by a shop he has patronised since he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

In 2012, the Nehru jacket was listed in Time magazine's top 10 global fashion list.