Tamil Nadu Congress President Selvaperunthagai criticizes Union Minister's treatment of Coimbatore hotelier, calling it undignified and disrespectful. He demands equal treatment for all citizens, regardless of their status.
Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Congress President Selvaperunthagai strongly condemned the recent incident involving a Union Minister and a Coimbatore hotelier during a press conference at the Coimbatore airport. He expressed deep concern over the minister's behavior, which he described as undignified and disrespectful.
Selvaperunthagai stated, "The way the Union Minister treated a small-scale businessman, particularly a hotel owner, by making him apologize in his room for simply presenting a request, has shocked everyone. It is distressing to see those in power lacking even basic civility in dealing with the public, opposition parties, and fellow human beings. The Congress movement strongly condemns this action."
The Congress leader questioned the minister's actions, asking, "What wrong did the hotelier commit? What inappropriate question did he ask? The GST meeting was supposed to address concerns and grievances. They had even mentioned that three-tier officials would be present to hear opinions. If there were any issues, they were supposed to be discussed in that meeting. What was wrong with the hotelier expressing his concerns there?"
Selvaperunthagai highlighted Coimbatore's reputation for hospitality and respect, saying, "Coimbatore is known for its welcoming nature, where even small children say 'come, come' to guests. It's a land that teaches respect to everyone. We strongly condemn such uncivilized behavior occurring in Coimbatore itself."
He emphasized that this condemnation was not just because the victim was the owner of Annapoorna Hotel, but because of the broader implications. "It's highly condemnable for those in power to intimidate, threaten, force apologies, and then publicize such incidents, regardless of who the victim is," he added.
The Congress leader also drew attention to the gender aspect of the incident, stating, "Those who respect our mothers and women, those who see women as mothers - would our mothers or sisters at home treat a man like this? Would they make a man sit uncomfortably, unable to even lean back, and force him to apologize? Would they record it and release it publicly? We need to think about this."
Selvaperunthagai then compared this incident to a situation involving Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. He pointed out that when Gadkari wrote a letter to the Finance Minister criticizing certain GST policies, particularly on life-saving equipment and medicines for in-patients, he wasn't subjected to similar treatment. "Would the Finance Minister call Gadkari to a hotel room and make him apologize in such a humiliating manner? Would they be able to record and release such a video publicly?" he questioned.
In conclusion, Selvaperunthagai called for equal treatment and respect for all citizens, regardless of their status or position. He urged for a more dignified and respectful approach in handling public grievances and criticisms.