Bids for the auction for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monogrammed pinstriped suit on Friday closed with a Surat-based Diamond merchant Lalji Bhai getting the possession of the outfit at a whopping Rs. 4.31 crore.
“I will keep (Modi’s) suit in factory to remember I paid (Rs. 4.31 cr) for Ganga project,” said an excited Lalji Bhai Patel
The entire suit and pant had Narendra Damodardas Modi repeatedly embroidered into the fabric and is believed to be worth Rs 10 lakh. The proceeds will go towards cleaning up the river Ganga. PM Modi wore the suit during US President Barack Obama’s visit in January.
The highest closing offer of Rs 1.40 crore on the second day of the auction had come from a diamond trader and ship-breaking tycoon from Bhavnagar, KK Sharma, who is also the chairman of the Leela Group of Companies.
Earlier at the end of Day 1 of the auction, NRI Viral Choski’s bid at Rs 1.1 crore for the Modi suit was the highest.
Ramesh Kumar Bhikabhai Virani had gifted the suit to PM Modi. He said, “I gifted this suit to Modi and asked him to wear it on my son’s wedding as a blessing to him. He said he will give it away to charity. I’m very happy that he wore the suit.”
The suit, reported to be worth almost Rs 10 lakh, has seen Modi coming under criticism. Modi’s rivals have called him megalomaniac and narcissist.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken raised questions on such an expensive gift for the Prime Minister. “How can such an expensive gift be called a “private gift”? PM should explain why that man gifted such an expensive suit.”
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi commented on Ajay Maken’s remark saying that Congress was lowering its political stature. “In the past also PM Modi has been donating his belonging to charity,” countered Trivedi.
On the other hand, Omar Abdullah tweeted saying, “If you have so much money why not just quietly donate it to charity without buying a suit you know you can’t wear?
