'Weed Effect': Uttarakhand Chief Slammed for Blunder, Saying India Was Ruled by US for 200 Years

Tirath Singh Rawat, Chief of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, was sworn in on 10 March, and since then has landed in one controversy after another. On 14 March he sparked a row after equating Indian PM Modi to a Hindu God, Lord Ram. On 18 March he invited scorn by shaming women for wearing ripped jeans.

In yet another embarrassment for the BJP-led government in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, newly sworn-in Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has become the butt of online jokes after making a gaffe in his public address, when he said the United States ruled India for over 200 years. 

Apparently confusing United Kingdom with United States, the Uttarakhand chief said, "India remained a slave to United States of America for more than 200 years, which ruled large parts of the world, yet India has done comparatively better in fighting the Coronavirus pandemic."

His remarks triggered strong reactions and several opposition leaders took to Twitter, expressing their disapproval. Senior Congress leader and spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his choice of "such learned leaders". " What is the fault of God's land, Uttarakhand,"said Surjewala. 

मोदी जी, ये ज्ञानी प्रतिभाएं छाँट-छाँट कर लाते हैं!

उत्तराखंड CM तो वास्तव में ही कम समय में “अमेरिका के हम पर 200 साल के शासन” के ऐतिहासिक ज्ञान का नया रिकॉर्ड क़ायम कर रहे हैं।

धन्य हैं रावत जी का ज्ञान,
पर देवभूमि उत्तराखंड का क्या क़सूर है मोदी जी? pic.twitter.com/6JTZXyks9H

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 21, 2021

​Dinesh Mohaniya, incharge of Aam Aadmi Party in Uttarakhand rebuked the state chief terming his remarks as a fallout of "weed effect". 

According to @TIRATHSRAWAT US ruled us 200 yrs.
Weed effect ??pic.twitter.com/10Rej4mhrK

— Dinesh Mohaniya (@DineshMohaniya) March 21, 2021

​Netizens too dripped with sarcasm, taking digs at the CM for his remarks.

After Meghan, Uttarakhand CM strikes a blow against British imperialism, wipes out their rule in India in one statement. https://t.co/1PzHGQov6l

— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) March 21, 2021

​Credit where it's due. Modi ji made Tirath Singh Rawat CM of Uttarakhand so that Indians can have good laugh, eventually leading to rise in India's rank in World Happiness Index.

Masterstroke.

— Nimo Tai 2.0 (@Cryptic_Miind) March 21, 2021

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Rawat is the new distraction!

— Rofl Engineer (@rofl_Engineer_) March 22, 2021

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pic.twitter.com/ETqPgEg7a3

— Joysun_Dsouza🤚 (@DsouzaJoysun) March 22, 2021

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India has become a laughing stock at the hands of BJP and its leaders.

— Mohammed Waseem (@waseem33) March 21, 2021

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