While a few netizens on social media have obsessively locked horns over whether a specific vest is originally a ‘Nehru’ or a ‘Modi’ jacket, the company which produces them tried to quell the anger. The company claims that they are ‘Modi Jackets’ and not Nehru jackets that the first Prime Minister of India famously wore during his tenure.
Netizens locked horns over which Prime Minister should be credited for making the attire popular. The Nehru jacket is a hip-length tailored coat with a mandarin collar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been sporting a similar vest since he began his term in 2014. However, a controversy recently broke out on Twitter when South Korean President Moon Jae-in put up pictures of the jackets that were sent by the Indian Prime Minister as a gift, and labelling them ‘Modi vest’.
Prime Minister @narendramodi of India sent me some gorgeous garments. These are modernized versions of traditional Indian costume, known as the ‘Modi Vest’, that can also be worn easily in Korea. They fit perfectly. pic.twitter.com/3QTFIczX6H
— 문재인 (@moonriver365) October 31, 2018
This sparked a debate among people on Twitter on the way the jackets should be described. Moon Jae-in tweeted, “Prime Minister @narendramodi of India sent me some gorgeous garments. These are modernised versions of traditional Indian costume, known as the ‘Modi Vest’, that can also be worn easily in Korea. They fit perfectly. 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.”
This is how Twitter stood divided:
Its like duplicate articles of Nike and Adidas in the name of Mike and Abidas. In real, These are called Nehru Jackets.
— Faraz (@iamAKHTER) October 31, 2018
Nehru jacket my foot. We call it as #ModiJacket . Modiji made it famous . Only after people saw Modi wearing this it started trending all over India. I would prefer calling it #ModiJacket than calling #NehruJacket
— Puneeth (@punzzzz) October 31, 2018
Excellent. But I am afraid, I must correct the name – this is known as the Nehru jacket, something that has not changed even though Mr Modi has put his name on it.
— Vivek Chand (@viv_chand) October 31, 2018
I don’t know why people are so rattled if this jacket is named after Modi ji.
Nehru didn’t create that style, neither he wore it much. On the contrary, Modi ji made it fashionable.
Just like Gandhi never wore a Cap famously, but a Topi is named after him
— Farzana Qureshi (@NRIcat) 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
Khadi was dying in India which Modi revived so it is better to be called Modi jacket. Khadi as such never took off during Congress time though it was Nehru’s legacy.
The colours & tweaks with proper rebranding by Modi what is making this a classic wear of today’s times.
— Gautam Dey (@gdey) October 31, 2018
Those are called Nehru jackets, after our illustrious First PM… for the knowledge of the uninitiated!
— picadoress (@picadoress) October 31, 2018
Meanwhile, Bipin Chauhan, managing director of JadeBlue Lifestyle India chimed in to clear the air. “Originally, they were ‘bandhgala’ (closed neck) jackets. They were worn by Nehru and even Sardar Patel. But the ones we sell are Modi Jackets. It is a bit longer and more comfortable in fit than Nehru Jackets,” he told News18.
Chauhan claims that even though similar jackets have been worn in the past, they have not been as popular. “In the past, these jackets, worn by Nehru and Sardar, were considered premium apparel for the elite. Now Modi ji has popularised them among the masses,” he told the news portal.
