BJP Leader From Chhattisgarh Trolls Rahul Gandhi For "Shikanji" Remark

Chhattisgarh: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Chhattisgarh's Durg has called Congress president Rahul Gandhi "mentally weak" for his recent remarks. Saroj Pandey, Durg parliamentarian, comment came over a week after Rahul Gandhi said that the founder of Coca-Cola started by selling "shikanji" or lemonade and McDonald's was born from a dhaba.

Ms Pandey said, "The kind of things he says are surprising. He is definitely trying to learn but there is an age to learn. A person who learns after the age of 40 cannot be called learned. Such a person is called mand buddhi (mentally weak)."

Mr Gandhi was addressing his party's convention for backward castes when he said that McDonald's owner ran a dhaba in the beginning. In the same breath, he said Coca-Cola wala America mein shikanji bechta tha (The man who started Coca Cola sold shikanji in the US). "He sold sugar mixed in water. His skill was recognised and rewarded," he said.

Rahul Gandhi used the anecdotes to target the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of benefiting a handful of industrialists. "The BJP's strategy is clear. 15-20 rich capitalists will give thousands of crores to PM Modi and all benefits will go to just those 15-20 rich people."

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He added, "It's not that we don't have talent, knowledge, power, ability...but we don't have banks willing to help, offer loans. The government isn't supportive."

Soon, the hashtag #AccordingToRahulGandhi was trending and the Congress chief was majorly trolled.

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(With inputs from ANI)