Congress Mocks Modi Over Tricolour Pocket Squares at Independence Day Event
Congress leader Pawan Khera joked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to be celebrating Ireland’s Independence Day after the colours on his pocket squares drew attention online.
The Congress on Saturday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the arrangement of the three coloured pocket squares he wore during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
Modi marked India’s 80th Independence Day with his 13th consecutive address to the nation from the historic venue. He wore a traditional red tie and dye turban with a white kurta and chocolate brown vest.
His outfit also featured three pocket squares in saffron, green and white, apparently representing the colours of the Indian Tricolour.
The arrangement of the colours, however, drew attention on social media. Some users pointed out that the sequence appeared different from the order of the Indian national flag.
Congress media and publicity department chief Pawan Khera shared a photograph of Modi on X and used the occasion to take a political swipe at the Prime Minister.
Khera suggested that Modi had either worn the Tricolour in the sequence used in Urdu writing or was celebrating Ireland’s Independence Day instead of India’s. His comment referred to the green, white and saffron arrangement associated with the Irish flag.
Modi’s Independence Day attire, particularly his choice of turbans, has become a recurring feature of the annual celebrations.
In 2024, he appeared in a colourful Rajasthani leheriya turban featuring orange, yellow and green shades. The previous year, he wore a bandhani style turban in yellow, green and red, along with a black V neck jacket.
For the 2022 celebrations, Modi chose a saffron turban decorated with red motifs and a long flowing tail. He paired it with a blue jacket and stole.
His 2021 outfit included a cream and saffron turban, while in 2020, during the COVID 19 pandemic, he wore a white scarf with a saffron border as a face covering.
Modi’s first Independence Day appearance as Prime Minister in 2014 featured a striking red Jodhpuri bandhej turban. Since then, his annual appearances at the Red Fort have featured a variety of colourful turbans and traditional Indian tie and dye designs.