Rahul Gandhi tries his hand at chocolate-making in Tamil Nadu's Ooty
New Delhi, Aug 27: Creating industrial hubs and implementing a single GST rate are imperative measures to shield MSMEs which collectively possess the power to drive India's growth engine, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday as he shared a video of his recent visit to a chocolate-making factory in Ooty.
Gandhi had visited "one of Ooty's most celebrated brands" Moddys Chocolates earlier this month while on his way to his parliamentary constituency Wayanad after his Lok Sabha membership was restored.
Nestled amidst the picturesque Nilgiris lies a globally renowned Indian industry -- the chocolate-makers of Ooty, a statement issued by the Congress said.
"On my way to Wayanad, recently, I had the delightful experience of visiting one of Ooty's most celebrated brands: Moddys Chocolates. The entrepreneurial spirit of the couple behind this small business, Muralidhar Rao and Swati, is inspiring," Gandhi was quoted as saying in the statement.
Equally remarkable is the all-women team which works alongside them, he said. "This dedicated team of 70 women crafts some of the most exquisite couverture chocolates I've ever tasted," he said.
"However, like countless other small and medium businesses across India, Moddys is grappling with the burden of the same adversary - the Gabbar Singh Tax," he said.
"In a landscape where the government appears to favour larger corporations to the detriment of the MSME sector, it is the pure grit of hardworking Indians like the women I met here that sustains India's growth," he said.
Creating industrial hubs and implementing a single GST rate stand as imperative measures to shield these MSMEs, which collectively possess the power to drive India's growth engine, Gandhi asserted. He said women-led teams like this deserve all the support that can be given.
Muralidhar and Swati's children deserve an India where their future thrives, the Congress leader said.
In the video shared by Gandhi, he can also be seen trying his hand at chocolate-making and interacting with the all-women staff at the chocolate factory.
A team of 70 incredible women drives one of Ooty’s famous chocolate factories!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 27, 2023
The story of Moddys Chocolates is a remarkable testament to the great potential of India's MSMEs.
Here's what unfolded during my recent visit to the Nilgiris:https://t.co/yNdM37M01M pic.twitter.com/UfPvLryBuC
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
