NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday criticized Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman following a viral video that showed a restaurant chain owner apologizing to her after questioning her about the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Stalin claimed that the businessman made fair demands and that the Union minister handled the matter in a shameful manner.
“The way the Union minister handled it is a matter of shame because he made fair demands on GST.The central government’s contribution has not yet been given,” Stalin said.
“Even yesterday, the Union finance minister explained that we have received loan assistance,” he added.
The controversy arose after the BJP‘s Tamil Nadu unit posted a video of the Coimbatore restaurant owner reportedly apologizing to Sitharaman.
BJP leader K Annamalai apologized on behalf of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit for making the conversation between the restaurant owner and the finance minister public. He spoke with Srinivasan, the owner of the Annapoorna chain of restaurants, to express regret for the unintended breach of privacy.
“On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, 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, 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.
Stalin claimed that the businessman made fair demands and that the Union minister handled the matter in a shameful manner.
“The way the Union minister handled it is a matter of shame because he made fair demands on GST.The central government’s contribution has not yet been given,” Stalin said.
“Even yesterday, the Union finance minister explained that we have received loan assistance,” he added.
The controversy arose after the BJP‘s Tamil Nadu unit posted a video of the Coimbatore restaurant owner reportedly apologizing to Sitharaman.
BJP leader K Annamalai apologized on behalf of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit for making the conversation between the restaurant owner and the finance minister public. He spoke with Srinivasan, the owner of the Annapoorna chain of restaurants, to express regret for the unintended breach of privacy.
“On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, 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, 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.
What did the Anapoorna owner say?
Srinivasan, who is also the president of the Tamil Nadu hotel owners’ association, had on 11 September flagged issues about the GST regime at a meeting attended by the finance minister in Coimbatore.
He also flagged the discrepancies in taxing sweet and spicy food. “There is five percent GST on sweets but 12 percent on savouries, and 18 percent on cream-filled buns, whereas there is no GST on buns! Customers often complain, saying, ‘Just give me the bun, I’ll spread the cream and jam myself,’” Srinivasan said to a crowd that burst out in laughter.