Hotelier apologising to Sitharaman sparks row: Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi govt, TN BJP chief regrets ‘breach of privacy’

Rahul Gandhi said when a small business owner asks public servants for a simplified GST regime, his request is met with "arrogance and outright disrespect".

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a video in which the owner of a renowned Tamil Nadu restaurant chain is purportedly apologising to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Rahul Gandhi said if this "arrogant government" would listen to the people they would understand that a simplified GST would solve the problems of lakhs of businesses.

In a post on X, Gandhi expressed outrage over the treatment of the restaurateur, Srinivasan, the Managing Director of the iconic Annapoorna hotel in Coimbatore.

"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," Gandhi wrote.

He contrasted this with what he called the government's preferential treatment of some, adding, "Yet, when a billionaire friend seeks to bend the rules, change the laws, or acquire national assets, Modi Ji rolls out the red carpet."

The controversy began when a video surfaced of Srinivasan apologising to Sitharaman after his remarks at a public meeting about the complexities of the GST system. Representing the Tamil Nadu Hotels Association, Srinivasan humorously criticised the inconsistent GST rates applied to different food items, drawing laughter from the audience. He pointed out how the intricate tax system was causing confusion for both businesses and customers.

Giving the example of a bun and cream, he said, "There is no GST on bun. But if you put cream in it, GST becomes 18%. Customers now request the bun and cream separately to avoid paying the higher tax."

The following day, Srinivasan met with Sitharaman in a closed-door meeting, along with BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan.

A video of Srinivasan apologising to the finance minister was shared by Tamil Nadu BJP functionary Balaji MS, sparking allegations that he had been coerced into apologising.

Opposition leaders denounced the video as a form of intimidation, accusing the BJP of humiliating a small business owner for merely voicing concerns.

"Our small business owners have already endured the blows of demonetisation, an inaccessible banking system, tax extortion and a disastrous GST. The last thing they deserve is further humiliation," Rahul Gandhi said in his post.

“But when the fragile egos of those in power are hurt, it seems humiliation is exactly what they’ll deliver.”

Gandhi reiterated the call for a simplified GST structure, saying, "MSMEs have been asking for relief for years. If this arrogant government would listen to the people, they would understand that a simplified GST with a single tax rate would solve the problems of lakhs of businesses."

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate took to X, accusing the BJP of forcing Srinivasan to apologise and recording it without his knowledge. "While FM laughed it off on stage, the same owner was later made to apologise to her in person. His apology was surreptitiously recorded and shared by BJP’s official handle. This is the height of arrogance," Shrinate wrote.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also condemned the BJP, describing the video as a display of "absolute arrogance." He warned that such behaviour is becoming emblematic of the BJP's governance style, which, he claimed, bullies small business owners and intimidates those who raise concerns.

Vanathi Srinivasan, the BJP MLA who was present at the meeting, denied allegations of coercion, stating that Srinivasan had apologised voluntarily. "He apologised out of his own will. There was no pressure," she told The News Minute.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief regrets breach of privacy

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K.Annamalai apologised for the actions of party functionaries “who shared a private conversation between a respected business owner” and the finance minister.

“I spoke with Thiru Srinivasan Avl, the esteemed owner of the Annapoorna chain of Restaurants, to express regret for this unintended breach of privacy,” Annamalai posted on X.

“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.”