“When life gives you lemons…” appeared to be the catchphrase online on Monday except one could not make lemonade as the price of the citrus fruit shot to Rs 350 per kg in New Delhi, at last check.
Prices of lemons have soared along with those of green chilli, tomatoes, onions, potatoes and other vegetables following an increase in fuel and transportation costs.
News reports quoted vegetable vendors saying they had stopped giving away chillies and coriander to customers for free. With the lemon prices rising sharply, just like the rates of petrol, diesel and LPG, Twitter saw a proliferation of cartoons, jokes and memes.
Cartoonist Manjul referred to reports of restaurant, food joint owners and customers alike despairing of the increase in the cost of nimbu paani, a summer staple.
The varied of uses of the lemon in India – from warding off evil to cleaning things – inspired many jokes.
This meme recalled that when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took delivery of multi-million dollar Rafale fight jets from France in October 2019, he performed a Hindu ritual that used lemons.
This cartoonist recalled Union Finance Minister Sitharaman’s comment in Parliament when onion and garlic rose in December 2019 that she came from a family that didn’t eat much of either.
The catchphrase “when life gives you lemons...” found new meaning.
Many drew parallels with the increase in fuel prices.
Some turned to movies and their favourite songs.
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