Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his DMK party sharply criticized Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her “shameful” treatment of a businessman who raised concerns about the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Stalin condemned the minister’s response, asserting that the businessman’s concerns about GST were valid and deserved a more respectful handling.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced showing D. Srinivasan, owner of the Sri Annapoorna restaurant in Coimbatore, apologizing to Sitharaman with folded hands. The video quickly went viral on social media, prompting accusations that Srinivasan was coerced into the apology.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan claimed that Srinivasan was pressured to apologize, asserting that the businessman was merely voicing the sentiments of the public. “The owner of Sri Annapoorna only expressed what the people think. He is not personally benefiting but is collecting taxes on behalf of the government. The government should listen to public concerns instead of threatening individuals. He was forced into apologizing,” Elangovan stated.
The incident highlights growing tensions over GST implementation and government responsiveness to public grievances.
