Modi suit auction: Rs 1.25 crore bid by 'Global Friends Group'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pinstripe monogrammed bandhgala suit that he wore during US President Barack Obama's visit to India last month has been bid for Rs 1.25 crore by a group pf friends who have called themselves 'Global Friends Group, according to ANI'. 

Surat-based textile businessmen had bid a whopping Rs 1.21 crore on Wednesday on when the three day auction began.

Rajesh Juneja gave a written bid offering Rs.1.21 crore for Modi's navy blue suit which was the star attraction at the three-day auction which opened on Wednesday. Earlier, NRI businessmen Viral Chowksi offered Rs 1.11 crore, while before him textile trader Suresh Aggarwal made an offer of Rs one crore for the two-piece suit.

The first bid was made for Rs 11 lakh by a Surat-based chartered accountant Pankaj, while few minutes later, second bid of Rs 51 lakh was made by Raju Agarwal, an estate dealer. Viral Chowksi, the NRI made the offer at the three-day auction which commenced on Wednesday.

Another businessman Suresh Aggarwal made an offer of Rs one crore for the suit. "I have offered Rs.one crore. This is work of charity and when the Prime Minister is doing for a great cause like cleaning of Ganga, I decided to go ahead and buy the suit," he said.

Another Raju Aggarwal offered Rs 51 lakh for the suit, saying it was for a noble cause. The suit that created waves and kicked up a political storm will be auctioned along with 455 items that Modi had received as gifts during his nearly nine-month long tenure to generate funds for the Prime Minister's ambitious 'Clean Ganga RPT Ganga Mission'. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suit, that he wore during his meeting with President Barack Obama last month, along with other 455 items that he received as gifts during his tenure as Prime Minister will be auctioned at a three-day event in Surat," Surat Municipal Commissioner Milind Toravane told PTI.

The auction event will go on for three days and the proceedings will go to Namami Gange Trust Fund. The suit that created waves and kicked up a political storm will be auctioned along with 455 items that Modi had received as gifts during his nearly nine-month long tenure to generate funds for the Prime Minister's ambitious 'Clean India Mission'. 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suit, that he wore during his meeting with President Barack Obama last month, along with other 455 items that he received as gifts during his tenure as Prime Minister will be auctioned at a three-day event in Surat. The gift items belonging to Prime Minister Modi is a national treasure and the money generated from the auction will be utilised for the 'Clean Ganga Mission'," Surat Municipal Commissioner Milind Toravane said.

We are a grp of frnds who have decided to contribute Rs 50000 each: Rajesh Maheshwari, Global Friends group #ModiSuit pic.twitter.com/TGk6xTTQBE

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 19, 2015

#ModiSuit auction: Suresh Agarwal from Surat who made a bid for Rs 1 Crore pic.twitter.com/vFCKCEPgcw

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 18, 2015

Rajubhai Agarwal from Surat, man who bid Rs 51 Lakh for #ModiSuit, auction proceeds to go to Namaami Gange Trust Fund pic.twitter.com/8yQx9ikCou

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 18, 2015

Rameshkumar Bhikabhai Virani, the man who gave the suit to Prime Minister Modi, rubbished all speculation linked to it. Rameshkumar Bhikabhai said," I am from Gujarat. I presented this suit to him (Prime Minister Modi) when I attended the recent Vibrant Gujarat Summit. I gave it while extending an invitation to him to attend my son's wedding on January 26."

Ramesh Bhikabhai Virani who gifted PM Modi the personalised pinstripe suit in an interview with ANI #ModiSuit pic.twitter.com/Wbeb9vhgqA

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 18, 2015

When pressed for a comment on what was the actual cost of the suit, Rameshkumar said, "People can say anything. I can confirm that what is being said about its cost is not the correct amount. My son does not have the guts to spend that kind of money or that amount."

Ramesh Bhikabhai, who gifted PM Modi the personalised pinstripe suit, on cost of the #ModiSuit https://t.co/oxPW2q8KVX

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 18, 2015

When specifically asked to give his reaction to reports appearing in the media about the pinstripe suit, Rameshkumar said, "My son's name is Smit Virani. I gave this gift to my elder brother (Prime Minister Modi) on behalf of my son. My son had this idea of making this monogrammed suit. He said he wanted to give a surprise to Modiji."

 

Even I don't know exact cost, my son knows it,he'll let us know when he comes back: Ramesh Bhikabhai to ANI #ModiSuit pic.twitter.com/G6Q0jFuwkT

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 18, 2015

Must read: PM Modi's name suit: Estimated cost close to Rs 10 lakhs!

PM Modi faces flak for the suit's auction

Politicians across party criticised the auction and said that the exercise was done for publicity. 

NCP's Omar Abdullah said that the suit can be auctioned off quietly.

If you have so much money why not just quietly donate it to charity without buying a suit you know you can't wear????

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) February 18, 2015

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had raised the issue of Modi's expensive suit during the campaign for Delhi Assembly polls in which the BJP and the Congress were routed. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had termed Modi as "megalomaniac."

Congress, AAP and TMC had on Wednesday taken potshots at Modi over putting his suit on the block and termed the auction as a "damage control" exercise. Congress had demanded that the process of auctioning should immediately be stopped and it should be deposited with the 'Toshakhana'. "This is happening three weeks after the suit was worn by Modi... This is a damage control exercise. Damage control of his reputation," Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said.

AAP ridiculed Modi over the auction of his suit. "Narendra Modi and the BJP have mastered the art of marketing. The sale of the suit is nothing, but marketing itself," senior party leader Ashutosh told reporters.

"This is DCPR, Damage Control Public Relations, this has nothing to do with Ganga cleaning," TMC leader Derek O'Brien MP tweeted from Kolkata.

We hear the famous suit will now be auctioned for a good cause... DCPR... Damage Control PR :)

— Derek O'Brien (@quizderek) February 18, 2015

Maken said,"Wearing of a suit of Rs 10 lakh was criticised not only in India, but globally... The people didn't like the way the Prime Minister wore the suit while meeting the President of the US... So as a damage control exercise this was done by the Prime Minister." Maken said.

The suit

Last month, US President Barack Obama visited India to be a part of Republic Day celebrations. When having Chai Pe Charcha with Obama, PM Modi wore a bandhgala suit with NARENDRA DAMODARDAS MODI sewn repeatedly across the suit. PM Modi faced criticism from several quarters for wearing this suit. Some blamed him for being narcissistic while some questioned him for wearing a suit worth Rs 10 lakh. 

But on late Tuesday night, it was announced that the suit will be put up for auction. Namamai Gange, which is a government organisation appointed for the cleaning of river Ganga. 

(With agency Inputs)