Congress, AAP and TMC today took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over putting his pinstripe monogrammed bandhgala suit on the block and said the auction was a "damage control" exercise.
Opposing the auction of the controversial suit worn by Modi during US President Barack Obama's visit to India last month, Congress 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 told reporters here.
The Congress reaction came soon after a Surat-based textile businessman, Rajesh Juneja, bid a whopping Rs 1.21 crore for the suit at the three-day auction which opened today.
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.
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 that created waves and kicked up a political storm was put up for auction along with 455 items that Modi had received as gifts during his nearly nine-month long tenure as prime minister to generate funds for his 'Clean Ganga Mission'.
