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Biplab Kumar Deb’s claim that Internet existed in the days of Mahabharata has set off a flurry of reaction from users, who were largely unforgiving for his bizarre statement.

While a section of the Twitterati used humour to ridicule Deb’s claim, other took a swipe at him with tweets loaded with sarcasm.

of said that internet exist during times So was he there at time? ….. Thank god he didnt said that he gave training to in his Gym,” a user, with handle @naina4ucozy, wrote on the 

Users mentioned characters like Krishna, Arjuna and from epic to mock the newly-elected of the northeastern state.

“If according to Biplab internet existed during the times of Mahabharat, the main question is, what was Draupadi’s favorite filter?,” tweeted another user @ThePolanator.

“Biggest joke of the millennium. Tomorrow some other will claim there was Mobile phone in ,otherwise how could Dharmaraja answered questions from Yaksha, of course only by seeking lifeline!,” @anumakondaj tweeted.

The reaction was triggered by Deb’s remarks yesterday at a workshop on public distribution system (PDS) computerisation and reforms in Agaratala.

In the Mahabharata, it has been mentioned that Sanjay gave a live relay of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas to the blind Dhritarashtra, he said.

“Communication was possible because our technology was sophisticated and developed during those times. We had the Internet and  It is not like the Internet or media wasn’t available in the age of Mahabharata,” the had said.

The 48-year-old had taken charge as the of on March 9, following a spectacular electoral victory of the BJP that ended unchallenged 25-year rule of the Left in the state.

“Internet In The Time Of Mahabharat: Biplab Kumar Deb’s interpretation of .. When Krishna used Maps and Arjun ran out of data. #InternetMahabharata,” @ArreTweets posted.

“Internet was there in Mahabharat-CM Biplab dev.. Thanks a lot for not saying Bhishm pitamah existing today,” said another user @Abidebyconstitn.

User @KumarShreshtha had a question for Deb: “…Can you please answer which happened first Ramayana or ? Any citation against what the broad minded like you claim”.

“Of course, there was #internet for Sanjay to see and recount the #to Dhritirashtra. In fact, the warriors used on their weapons to locate their targets during the war. The gems just keep coming in!,” wrote @aartiishere.

But, a few also tweeted in Deb’s support apparently.

CM Biplab said about Vedic Science,you may call it internet or WiFi or anytime else. Atomic weapons were used during & Harappa, Mohenjo-daro ruined due to atomic war. @BjpBiplab,” wrote @ippatel.

Another user @t_d_h_nair said: “Internet and is not new to India; it was prevalent at the time of  Sanjay regularly updating about the war sitting at a distant place wdnt hv been possible without satellite. – Biplab Dev, BJP’s CM.” But, the tweet sounded more of a sarcasm than support.

  • Gandhari joined #DeleteFacebook… lost touch with everyone’

    Assistant professor of South Asian history, Rutgers University, had some fun imagining a Mahabharata with internet

    “This raises a few questions. Why didn’t Abhimanyu ask Quora how to escape the Chakravyuha? Why did Sanjay narrate the Kurukshetra War when Siri could have done it? Also, Krishna really should have streamed the Bhagavad-Gita on Facebook Live.”

    “And why couldn’t the Kauravas find the Pandavas during their incognito year of exile? Seriously people, just check their instagram feeds — tons of pictures of Arjuna as a eunuch there.”

    “ It does put Pandu’s demise in a new light… I mean, really, the guy meant to swipe left and just accidentally swiped right. We’ve all been there on Tinder.”

    “ It does sort of explaining all the going back and forth between the Kauravas and the Pandavas before the Great War, however. It was really all just chatter on the family WhatsApp group.”

    “ And you know, they say Gandhari chose to blindfold herself. She really just joined the #DeleteFacebook movement and so lost touch with everyone.”

    “ Ekalavya tried to sign up online for Drona’s workout class, but it was full. He asked Drona to give him special permission to join, but Drona said no. Ekalavya said, no problem, he decided to workout using pirated You-Tube videos of Drona instead.”

    “ But, you know, the internet wasn’t always so robust. In the early days of Mahabharata, it was pretty rudimentary. That’s how Karna got talked into giving his armor to Indra — like the days of AOL chatrooms when you didn’t know who anyone was.”