Gujarat Businessman Bids Over One Crore For PM Modi’s ’Name-Striped’ Suit

Mangalore Today News Network

Surat, India, Feb 18, 2015:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "name-striped" suit is a big hit at an auction that began today in Gujarat’s Surat. A businessman has bid Rs. 1.21 crore for it, outdoing others who have offered Rs. 1.11 crore, Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 51 lakh.

 

The suit, worn by the prime minister just once, went on sale along with more than 450 other gifts he has received. The first bid for Rs. 51 lakh was put in by Rajubhai Agarwal, a BJP leader. Suresh Agrawal, a textile businessman, has doubled that offer. The highest offer so far is by another textile businessman, Rajesh Juneja.

Interested buyers can bid till 5 pm on Friday, says senior Surat official Rajendra Kumar. The suit is displayed on a statue of PM Modi at the Science Centre in the city.

The prime minister was mocked by opposition parties for narcissism when he wore the suit with the words "Narendra Damodardas Modi" woven into it in tiny letters during US President Barack Obama’s visit to India last month. It was tailored by Jade Blue in Ahmedabad, the clothing chain that handles the Prime Minister’s wardrobe.

Congress leader Ajay Maken today said, "How can such an expensive gift to the PM be private?  The suit should have been deposited in the government treasury."

The party’s vice president Rahul Gandhi had recently taken a swipe at the prime minister and commented at a rally in Delhi that he wore a "10 lakh-rupee suit Made in UK."

There is no base price on PM Modi’s articles. "They are personal property and have not been evaluated," Rajendra Kumar told NDTV.

The money will go towards the clean-up of the Ganges, a pet project of PM Modi, who has described the pollution of the sacred river as a national shame.

When he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi made it a tradition to auction his gifts for charity. He gave away some 18,000 items and the proceeds went into a scheme for educating girls.

 

Courtesy: NDTV