'We Recall Krishna, They Remember Shakuni': Shivraj Chouhan's Jab At Rahul Gandhi's 'Mahabharata' Remark

Union Agriculture Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday took a swipe at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that while people typically associate Mahabharata with Lord Krishna, the opposition tends to recall “Shakuni, Chaupar, and Chakravyuh“—symbols of deceit and injustice.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chouhan remarked, “When we go to the Mahabharata period, we see Lord Krishna, while the opposition remembers Shakuni, Chausar, Chakravyuh and all these words that are linked to unrighteousness.”

“Jaki rahi bhavna jaisi, prabhu murat dekhi tin taisi,” he stated, implying that one’s perception reflects their intentions.

The Union minister noted that Shakuni is seen as a “symbol of deceit, betrayal, and fraud,” and questioned, “Why does Congress always think of these negative aspects?”.

In contrast, he emphasised that people generally think of Lord Krishna when talking about the Mahabharata.

Chouhan’s comments came in the context of a recent speech made by Rahul Gandhi earlier this week, who claimed that the country is being ensnared in a ‘chakravyuh‘ created by a small group.

The former Madhya Pradesh CM also accused the Congress of having an “anti-farmer” DNA, claiming that the party never prioritised the agricultural sector throughout its rule since Independence.

“Congress ke DNA mein hi kisan-virodh hai. Aaj se nahi, prarambh se hi Congress ki prathmiktayein galat rahi hai (Congress DNA is anti-farmer. Not from today, but since the beginning, it has misplaced priorities),” he said.

He added that during the rule of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the government used to forcibly collect levies from farmers. While late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi talked about agricultural price policies, Chouhan argued that he did not take concrete steps to improve farmers’ income.

Additionally, he pointed out that the UPA government from 2004 to 2014 was marked by scandals.

“The priorities of Congress were wrong. Under the leadership of Modi ji, the priorities were changed,” he said, asserting that the BJP-led NDA government is now working with a clear roadmap for the growth of the agricultural sector.

(With inputs from PTI)