Jyotiraditya Scindia has a magic trick up his sleeve for India’s heat crisis.
“Keep onions in your pocket,” the scion of the erstwhile Gwalior dynasty advised, even as the IMD issued detailed heatwave advisories and warned of mounting heat stress across the country, with temperatures in several regions running five degrees Celsius or more above normal.
“The more I sweat, the more fun I have. I never put on the air conditioner in my car, nor do I sit in any air-conditioned environment. When people ask me how I do this in the 51-degree heat, I say ‘Yeh chambal ki chamri hai (I belong to Chambal)”, the BJP minister said.
Holding up an onion, he adds, “I may look young, but my soul is very old. Take an onion in your pocket, nothing will happen.” The owner of the 40-acre Jai Vilas Palace in Gwalior, with declared assets worth over Rs 424 crore, ended his speech noting how the Scindia family has always been connected with “janta aur jameen” (soil and people).
It is a long-standing traditional belief in India that onions absorb heat, but medical experts clarify that an onion cannot absorb heat from the body.
Labelling the BJP as “Utter Nonsense and Bluster”, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate blasted the Union minister for having “no idea” of what the poor endure during the scorching heat.
Scindia’s claim has left social media split.
Many users recalled finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comment during a 2019 Parliamentary debate on high onion prices, where she stated she did not eat much onion or garlic, coming from a family with little use for them.
While one user questioned whether Scindia owns an onion farm, others were quick to point out the minister’s personal wealth, highlighting his residence at the “luxurious Jai Vilas Palace, which has more than 400 rooms” with “high-tech air conditioning”.
Some also criticised the central government’s lack of initiative on a heatwave action plan and climate policy. Pictures have started circulating of Scindia’s offices and his residence, contradicting his claim of not using air conditioning facilities.
A user drew reference to the viral remark by PM Modi in 2018 during a speech for World Biofuel Day. Modi took an example of a tea seller who managed to harness gas directly from the drain to make tea, highlighting the potential of using sewage gas as a source of biofuel.
Another person posted a picture claiming Scindia has removed air-conditioners from his offices and installed onions instead.
AI-made images drove the meme trend, with a user posting a picture of Scindia’s car filled with onions.
Modern medicine practitioners have expressed concern over the Harvard and Stanford-educated minister’s statement.
ENT specialist Dr Parichay said, “The remedy by the minister of keeping onion in the pockets to battle this scorching heat clearly states his inability to assess basic elementary science lessons.”
“As a doctor, I cut short any such tomfoolery to handle this scorching heat at this time; it is quite dangerous for our health, and proper adequate measures must be taken before going out, other than carrying an onion in your pocket,” he adds.
The guidelines from IMD include avoiding prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially during peak afternoon hours, staying adequately hydrated, wearing light and breathable clothing, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activities during high-temperature periods.