Jalebi controversy: After a historic third consecutive Assembly election win in Haryana, the BJP’s state unit celebrated with a playful gesture, sending a kilogram of jalebis to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi office. This act was not intended as a friendly gesture, but rather a light-hearted jab in response to Gandhi’s earlier remarks about Haryana’s famous Gohana jalebis.
भारतीय जनता पार्टी हरियाणा के समस्त कार्यकर्ताओं की तरफ से राहुल गांधी जी के लिए उनके घर पर जलेबी भिजवा दी है🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/Xi8SaM7yBj
---Advertisement---— Haryana BJP (@BJP4Haryana) October 8, 2024
The Backstory: Rahul Gandhi’s Jalebi Comment
During his campaign, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the significance of Gohana jalebis, explaining that they were mass-produced and sold across the country, generating employment and revenue. He also claimed that local jalebi sellers were negatively impacted by the central government’s GST (Goods and Services Tax) system.
Gandhi’s remarks led to reactions from BJP leaders, including former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who criticized him for not understanding how the sweet dish is made and sold. “I also like Gohana jalebi… but one has to understand how they are made and sold,” Prasad commented, adding that Gandhi “does not do his homework properly.”
Also Read: The Juicy Tale Of Jats And Jalebis In Haryana
Jalebi and Political Jibes
Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi wasn’t the only one to use jalebis in a political context. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier referenced the sweet during his speech before the April-June general elections. Modi questioned the opposition INDIA bloc’s rumored plan to rotate the Prime Minister’s post annually, asking, “Is the Prime Minister’s post our Matu Ram ki jalebi?”
Gohana Jalebis: A Sweet Legacy
Gohana jalebis, named after the town in Haryana, have been a local favorite since 1958, when a businessman named Matu Ram began selling them. Today, the business is run by his grandsons, who continue to maintain the sweet’s high standards. “The jalebi is made of pure desi ghee… it is crispy yet soft, and each one weighs around 250 grams,” Raman Gupta, one of the grandsons, explained. A box of four jalebis, weighing about a kilogram, costs ₹ 320.
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