Annamalai apologizes after video of businessman’s apology to Nirmala Sitharaman sparks controversy
Chennai: BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai has issued an apology after a video showing the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu’s renowned Annapoorna hotel, Thiru K. Srinivasan, apologizing to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, went viral. The video, shared by local BJP functionaries, stirred controversy with opposition parties accusing the BJP of forcing the businessman to apologize and humiliating him publicly.
The video, which shows a private meeting between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, and Thiru Srinivasan, features the hotelier expressing regret for his earlier remarks on the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Thiru Srinivasan, who is also the honorary president of the Tamil Nadu Hotels Association, had earlier criticized the GST structure during a public event, highlighting inconsistencies in the taxation of various items.
Annamalai apologized on behalf of the Tamil Nadu BJP, stating, "I sincerely apologize for the actions of our functionaries who shared a private conversation between a respected business owner and our Honorable Finance Minister. I personally spoke to Thiru Srinivasan to express regret for this breach of privacy." He also praised Srinivasan’s contributions to the state's economy and affirmed that the release of the video was unintended.
The video, originally shared by BJP Tamil Nadu convenor Balaji MS, showed Srinivasan apologizing for what was termed an "indecent" speech. The controversy erupted after the video was made public, following a closed-door meeting that took place after Nirmala Sitharaman’s interaction with industrialists and hoteliers in Coimbatore on September 11.
During the public event, Srinivasan had raised concerns over the GST system, using the example of differential tax rates on food items. He humorously pointed out how adding cream to a bun changes the GST from 0% to 18%, confusing both customers and systems. His light-hearted remarks received laughter from the audience but led to further discussions on the complexities of the tax system.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the BJP’s handling of the situation, accusing them of arrogance and disrespect towards small business owners. In a strong statement, Gandhi said, "When the owner of a small business, like Annapoorna restaurant in Coimbatore, requests a simplified GST regime, he is met with arrogance. Yet, when a billionaire friend seeks to bend the rules, the government rolls out the red carpet."
Gandhi went on to criticize the impact of policies like demonetization and GST on small businesses, saying they have already suffered enough and do not deserve further humiliation. He suggested that those in power were too sensitive to criticism and resorted to public shaming when their egos were hurt.
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.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 13, 2024
I spoke with Thiru Srinivasan Avl, the esteemed owner of the Annapoorna chain of Restaurants, to express…
There was a meeting organised in Coimbatore with businesses and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) September 13, 2024
▪️The owner of Sree Annapoorna, a famous vegetarian restaurant chain in Coimbatore, Mr. Srinivasan explained the problems of different GST rates for different items to FM
▪️He… pic.twitter.com/FXCZTWUjcU
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
