In an embarrassing development for the Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai had to apologise for his party cadre sharing a video that showed a Coimbatore businessman bowing down and apologising to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after asking her a question on GST concerns.
GST on Bun = 0
— Fundamental Investor ™ 🇮🇳 (@FI_InvestIndia) September 13, 2024
GST on Cream = 5%
GST on Cream Bun = 18%
Customers are asking for Cream & Bun separately due to this complex structure. Please do something about this FM madam.
– Annapoorna Hotel Owner Srinivasan pic.twitter.com/xiFDaaJvbf
During a meeting of the FM with the business community in Coimbatore on September 11, MD Srinivasan, the owner of the Sree Annapoorna chain of restaurants, and the honorary president of Tamil Nadu Hotels Association asked the Finance Minister about the confusing GST rates in different food items. He mentioned the 5% GST on sweets, and 12% on savories, and 18% on cream buns, and no GST on buns alone. Amid loud laughter and cheers, he was seen presenting his concerns in a hilarious manner, adding that even his computer gets confused about the GST rates and how customers say that they can add the cream and jam on their own if he gives them just the bun.
#TamilNadu BJP shares a video of Srinivasan, owner of the popular Annapoorna hotel, apologising to FM Nirmala Sitharaman after his viral #GST comments
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) September 13, 2024
Here's what the businessman asked- “Why is there 5% GST on sweets but 12% on savouries, and 18% on cream buns, while buns alone… pic.twitter.com/8QKtKNnYPp
However, soon after some BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu shared a video where the same restaurant owner was seen bowing down before the Finance Minster and apologising to her, likely for his earlier questions that triggered laughter and jokes from the attendees in the meeting.
Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan was also seen present in the video where the Annapoona restaurant owner was apologising to Nirmala Sitharaman. The businessman was seen saying, “Please pardon me for my comments. I do not belong to any political party.”
The video of the businessman apologising to the FM was shared by Tamil Nadu BJP social media cell.
Soon, the video caused a widespread outrage as people started questioning why was the businessman made to apologise for asking a question. Many even questioned the bad optics the video generated and questioned the Tamil Nadu BJP’s reasoning behind recording the video of the apology and then sharing it on social media.
‘Arrogance’, say Opposition parties
The video of the businessman apologising created massive outrage on social media. “When the owner of a small business, like Annapoorna restaurant in Coimbatore, asks our public servants for a simplified GST regime, his request is met with arrogance and outright disrespect. Yet, when a billionaire friend seeks to bend the rules, change the laws, or acquire national assets, Modi Ji rolls out the red carpet”, posted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
When the owner of a small business, like Annapoorna restaurant in Coimbatore, asks our public servants for a simplified GST regime, his request is met with arrogance and outright disrespect.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 13, 2024
Yet, when a billionaire friend seeks to bend the rules, change the laws, or acquire…
DMK MP Kanimozhi posted a verse of Thirukural and wrote the Union Government and its minister should not hurt the self esteem of Tamil Nadu.
Amar Gvindarajan of Swarajya Magazine criticised the decision of TN BJP to share the video and wrote that it was a damaging decision to share the video and some BJP leaders are only concerned about their own social media.
Anamalai apologises for the video sharing, but does not say anything about the businessman’s ‘apology’
Following a massive outrage on social media, TN BJP chief Annamalai posted an apology for the video shared by his party cadre on social media.
On behalf of @BJP4TamilNadu, I sincerely apologise for the actions of our functionaries who shared a private conversation between a respected business owner and our Hon. FM.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 13, 2024
I spoke with Thiru Srinivasan Avl, the esteemed owner of the Annapoorna chain of Restaurants, to express…
“On behalf of BJP Tamilnadu, I sincerely apologise for the actions of our functionaries who shared a private conversation between a respected business owner and our Hon. FM. I spoke with Thiru Srinivasan Avl, the esteemed owner of the Annapoorna chain of Restaurants, to express regret for this unintended breach of privacy. Annapoorna Srinivasan Anna is a pillar of Tamil Nadu’s business community, contributing significantly to the state’s and nation’s economic growth. I request everyone to lay the matter to rest with due respect”, Annamalai posted on X.
Curiously, as pointed out by many on social media, Annamalai’s apology was about his party cadre sharing the video, thereby ‘breaching the privacy’ of MD Srinivasan, but not about how and why a prominent member of the business community had to apologise for asking questions and raising concerns over GST.
