‘Veshti or jeans’: Debate erupts as Gandhi, Nadda visit poll-bound Tamil Nadu

Rahul Gandhi’s appearance at a Pongal event wearing jeans triggered a debate on the traditional and western clothing of Indian politicians as JP Nadda, also in Tamil Nadu, wore traditional veshti

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appearance at a Pongal event in poll-bound Tamil Nadu on Thursday wearing jeans and a T-shirt triggered a debate on the traditional and western clothing of Indian politicians. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief J P Nadda, who was also in Tamil Nadu, wore traditional Tamil veshti.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Madurai to attend Pongal celebrations on January 14. (ANI)

“Pic1: @RahulGandhi in TamilNadu Pic2: @JPNadda in TamilNadu. Now decide who holds the culture and tradition of TamilNadu...,” tweeted Nadda’s secretary, Aditya Trivedi.

Trivedi’s tweet came in response to Congress’s statement that Gandhi was in Tamil Nadu on Pongal to understand the Tamil Nadu culture better.

Gandhi said he also had a nice time watching Jallikattu and he got a sense of why Tamil People appreciate the bull-taming sport. “...many people had mentioned to me that Jallikattu is harmful to the bulls. I witnessed it today and I must say that the way it was done today, there was absolutely no chance of... bull getting injured. In fact, if anyone was likely to get injured, it was the young men, who were doing Jallikattu. So, I am happy to say that there have been some changes to make it safer for everyone.”