A social media controversy has erupted following a viral video showing Sree Annapoorna restaurant MD Srinivasan allegedly apologising to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The incident is rooted in a public exchange about Goods and Services Tax (GST) anomalies during an event attended by both parties.
On Wednesday, Srinivasan, the owner of the popular Coimbatore-based restaurant chain, raised a query with the Finance Minister regarding the varying GST rates applied to different food items sold in his shop. He highlighted the inconsistencies, stating, "The problem is that GST is applied differently to each item. For example, there is no GST on a bun, but if you add cream, GST becomes 18%. Customers are asking to be given the bun and cream separately to save money."
Srinivasan also pointed out that while sweets are taxed at 5%, savory items attract a 12% GST rate. "In Tamil Nadu, sweet, savouries, and coffee go together. Please charge uniform GST for these. The computer itself is getting stuck because of this GST confusion," he explained. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laughed at his comments during the event, but a separate video later surfaced showing Srinivasan seemingly apologising to her in a private meeting, insisting he was not affiliated with any political party.
Both events featured Coimbatore MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, who is also a customer of Sree Annapoorna, as per Srinivasan.
Rahul Gandhi Calls It 'Arrogrance' & 'Disrespect'
The incident quickly drew widespread criticism, with many questioning the BJP's alleged intolerance towards grievances expressed by citizens. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi weighed in, criticising the government’s treatment of small business owners. He tweeted, "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."
Gandhi further highlighted the challenges faced by small business owners, referencing issues like demonetization, an inaccessible banking system, and the complexities of the GST regime. "The last thing they deserve is further humiliation," he added.
He also pitched that a single unified tax rate would solve the problems of lakhs of businesses.
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BJP Responds to the Controversy
On behalf of BJP, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai said, "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," he said.