Coimbatore Annapoorna Hotel MD's apology to FM over GST issue: Union Government and Ministers Should Not Provoke Tamil People's Self-Respect -  MP Kanimozhi

DMK MP Kanimozhi condemned the Union Government and Ministers for provoking Tamil people's self-respect following a viral video of Coimbatore's Annapoorna Hotel's MD apologizing to FM Nirmala Sitharaman for voicing GST concerns.


Coimbatore: DMK MP Kanimozhi has stated that the Union Government and Union Ministers should refrain from provoking the self-respect of Tamil people. This statement comes in the wake of a recent incident involving Coimbatore's Annapoorna hotel's Managing Director, Srinivasan apologising to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for voicing his concerns over GST issues. 

During a recent meeting with entrepreneurs in Coimbatore's CODISSIA, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions on various issues with entrepreneurs. At this event, Srinivasan, the Managing Director of Sri Annapoorna Hotels, voiced his concerns about the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system. 

He highlighted the discrepancies in GST rates, pointing out that sweets are taxed at 5% while spicy items are taxed at 12%. He also mentioned the complexities in billing, such as buns having no GST while the cream inside is taxed at 18%, leading to customer confusion and operational difficulties.

Following this, a video circulating on social media shows Srinivasan apparently apologizing to Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for his comments on GST. This video has sparked outrage among various sections, including DMK MP Kanimozhi, Congress MP Jothimani among others. 

Responding to this incident, Kanimozhi posted on social media, quoting a Tamil couplet (Kural 978, Chapter 98) which emphasizes the importance of humility and self-respect. She added that the Union Government and Union Ministers should not provoke the self-respect of Tamil people.

The incident has ignited a debate on the freedom of expression and the right of citizens to voice their concerns about government policies without fear of repercussions.

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