K Annamalai, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief, has issued an apology for unintentionally sharing a video that featured a private conversation between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Srinivasan, the owner of the Sree Annapoorna Hotel chain in Coimbatore.
Details of the Incident
The video, which surfaced online, captured a conversation from a business forum in Coimbatore where Srinivasan discussed GST rates with Ms. Sitharaman. During the forum, Srinivasan humorously highlighted inconsistencies in GST rates for various food items, drawing laughter from the audience and Ms. Sitharaman. He suggested that if GST rates were increased, they should be uniform across all products to avoid confusion.
A second video, which has not been verified, allegedly shows Srinivasan apologizing for his comments, with him reportedly stating he did not intend to offend any political party. This video has been criticized by the Congress, with leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi accusing the BJP of disrespecting small business owners.
Apology and Reactions
K Annamalai addressed the issue on X (formerly Twitter), apologizing for the “unintended breach of privacy” and emphasizing that the sharing of the video was not intentional. He expressed his respect for Srinivasan and urged everyone to move past the controversy. Annamalai’s post stated:
“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. I spoke with Thiru Srinivasan Avl, the esteemed owner of the Annapoorna chain of Restaurants, to express…”
Political and Public Reactions
The incident has attracted criticism from various political quarters:
- Congress Leaders: Rahul Gandhi criticized the BJP, accusing them of arrogance and disrespect towards small business owners.
- CPI and DMK: Tamil Nadu’s CPI has demanded an apology from Ms. Sitharaman, while DMK MP Kanimozhi urged union ministers to avoid provoking Tamil self-respect.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding GST policy and the broader political landscape.
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