The current onion prices in the country have turned a kitchen staple into a luxury item and there's no denying that the prices are simply tear-jerking. However, the onion prices haven’t just hit the marketplaces in India, it has also hit the Internet. Because what can deliver a tongue-in-cheek message to the government better than memes?
For the last few days, Indian Twitter has been flooded with memes over the onion price hike. On Thursday, #OnionPrices and #OnionCrisis were the top trends on Twitter. The onion crisis has also taken over the immensely popular video sharing application, TikTok. TNM brings you some of the most hilarious takes on the onion prices in India.
One video on Tiktok shows a commuter paying the auto fare in large onions and accepting smaller onions as change. Another shows a man trying to steal from an onion stall, but instead of picking up the Rs 100 note, he runs off with some onions.
Via Whatsapp!
— Asif Khan (@aafat_asif) December 4, 2019
#OnionPrices #OnionCrisis #OnionTears pic.twitter.com/Jo147158I7
Future is here#OnionPrices pic.twitter.com/kpWlCtwcx1
— Tweetera (@DoctorrSays) December 5, 2019
Onions on loan. Onions under lock and key. #OnionCrisis pic.twitter.com/DgynYPKPJE
— Srinivas B V (@srinivasiyc) December 2, 2019
Can anyone tell what the price of onion is in india nowadays? #OnionPrice pic.twitter.com/bFxOiTlQ3v
— wasim khan (@Wasimkhan96) December 2, 2019
Several pictures did the rounds on WhatsApp as well; this reporter was sent a picture of onions used as earrings.
Others joked about how people can soon buy the expensive iPhone for a bunch of onions.
Exchange Offer !!!#iPhone #OnionCrisis pic.twitter.com/HmFHPd3Ffr
— Engineer'sChoice (@sumansekhar1) November 29, 2019
Current Status of India is like.#OnionPrices
— Ankita Roy (@ankita_roy26) December 5, 2019
This is exactly what I do to save my dhan from my pg roommates. pic.twitter.com/u3DkPYAl2v
After Seeing #OnionPrices Apple want to change there logo in india pic.twitter.com/TMU8wKmYYu
— Mahatma Gandhi Sena (@dildar12) December 4, 2019
#OnionPrice Pic Courtesy - WhatsApp forward pic.twitter.com/j2FFycsfTS
— Sangeetha Kandavel (@sang1983) December 3, 2019
Dreams can become a reality soon. EMI Available. #OnionPrice pic.twitter.com/rMeCygko4P
— Patakha Guddi (@blaze_1706) December 5, 2019
Onion prices right now #OnionPrices #onions pic.twitter.com/4w2Ogr3uT0
— Birch (@greysky000) December 5, 2019
Adding to the jokes on Twitter on Thursday were jokes about Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comment in Parliament where she responded to a question by an MP whether she eats onions. The Minister responded that she comes from a family where onion does not matter, and then proceeded to answer NCP MP Supriya Sule’s question about the rising prices. The Finance Minister said that the government has taken several steps to check rising prices of onion and has initiated steps to improve technology for better storage of the kitchen staple.
However, a video of her statement, although quoted out of context, went viral and soon enough, #SayItLikeNirmalaTai began to trend on Twitter.
I don't eat onions !! Mere ko Kya?#SayItLikeNirmalaTai pic.twitter.com/LqpmEcIoPK
— ThirdEyeView (@Rajat_since1119) December 5, 2019
Because I don't eat onions #NirmalaSitharaman pic.twitter.com/hj94wfHRo7
— Laughter Riots (@LaughterRiots) December 5, 2019