‘Pocket mein pyaaz’: Amid a heatwave, minister Scindia says he doesn't use AC, pulls out an onion

“I look a little young, but my soul is very old. Keep an onion in your pocket. Nothing will happen to you,” Scindia said.

Northern states in India have been reeling under heatwave conditions, with other regions of the country also witnessing hot and humid weather, over the past few days. Amid this, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday shared a “traditional” hack at a public gathering in Madhya Pradesh, urging people to carry an onion in their pocket.

Scindia reached into his pocket and took out an onion to show it to the crowd. (X/ @ANI)

“I look a little young, but my soul is very old. Keep an onion in your pocket. Nothing will happen to you (Pocket mein pyaaz le jao…kuch nahi hoga),”he said in Shivpuri.

While making the remark, Scindia reached into his pocket and took out an onion to show it to the crowd, a video shared by ANI news agency showed.

“In the modern world, everyone is moving around with boxes. The communications minister is carrying an onion,” he said.

Scindia further said that he does not use air conditioning in his vehicle, nor does he sit in such “environment".

“And when people ask me, even in the 51-degree heat of May and June, I say, ‘This is Chambal skin’," he stated.

During the minister's speech, another man in the crowd pulled out an onion from his pocket. Acknowledging the gesture, Scindia said, “Even this brother has an onion in his pocket, see.”

He further said that people “shouldn't forget” these “old things”.

It is a folk belief in certain areas of India and other parts of the world that carrying an onion can protect against heatstroke, though there is no definitive scientific study saying that.

Maximum temperatures cross 40-degree mark in several parts

The India Meteorological Department had on Sunday warned of heatwave conditions across several parts of the country, with the maximum temperature crossing the 4-degree mark over most parts. The only exceptions were the western Himalayan region, northeast Bihar and northeast India, where temperatures remained below 36 degrees Celsius.

The highest maximum temperature of 46.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Akola, according to IMD. The weather department stated heatwave conditions were likely between April 27 and April 29 in Jammu and Kashmir, between April 28 and April 30 in Himachal Pradesh, and between April 27 and May 1 in Punjab and West Rajasthan.

Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat and parts of Chattisgarh will experience hot and humid conditions till April 28, according to IMD. However, there might be a gradual shift in temperatures, with IMD indicating slight relief from Tuesday.

With overcast skies and the return of rain, the maximum temperature is likely to fall to 40–42°C on Tuesday and dip further to 39–41°C on Wednesday.