New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attire at the 80th Independence Day celebrations, particularly his pocket square, drew sharp criticism from the Congress party on Saturday. Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X, sharing a photo of the Prime Minister and mockingly suggesting that Modi appeared to be celebrating Ireland’s Independence Day instead of India’s, remarking that “the sahib seems to be wearing the tricolour in Urdu.”
India’s national flag traditionally features saffron on top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. However, the pocket square Modi wore had the colours arranged in reverse order — green, white, and saffron. Ireland’s national flag, by contrast, runs green, white, and orange from left to right. Since the sequence on Modi’s pocket square closely resembled the order of the Irish flag, the Congress MP’s comments drew widespread attention.
Lagta hai sahib ne Urdu mein Tiranga pehna hai.
Ya phir Bharat 🇮🇳 ki jagah Ireland 🇮🇪 ka Independence Day mana rahay hain. pic.twitter.com/g0EiOLWICI
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 ಪವನ್ ಖೇರಾ (@Pawankhera) August 15, 2026
For the occasion, Modi paired a white kurta and chocolate-brown vest with a traditional turban, along with three pocket squares in saffron, green, and white. Over the past decade and more, PM Modi’s choice of turbans and outfits for Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations has consistently attracted attention — from the red Rajasthani bandhej turban of his first address in 2014 to the tricolour-themed turban worn during the 75th Independence Day celebrations in 2022. This year, the altered colour sequence on the pocket square quickly went viral on social media as well. It remains to be seen how BJP leaders respond to the Congress MP’s remarks.