DMK MP Ganapathi Rajkumar criticized BJP for releasing a private video of Annapoorna owner expressing regret to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He addressed the issue at Coimbatore Press Club.
Coimbatore: DMK MP Ganapathi Rajkumar strongly criticized the BJP for releasing a private video of Annapoorna owner expressing regret to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Addressing reporters at the Coimbatore Press Club, Rajkumar said that the incident was tantamount to insulting the people of Coimbatore.
Rajkumar stated that Annapoorna owner Srinivasan had spoken in beautiful Kongu Tamil while expressing his concerns at the Finance Minister's meeting. However, the BJP did not accept this and allegedly threatened him to apologize the next day. He also mentioned a similar incident in Sulur where a youth was reportedly threatened for inquiring about mobile phone spare parts.
The MP emphasized that the Kongu region was most affected by GST implementation. He criticized the current administration, calling it a "durbar rule" where no one is allowed to question. Rajkumar pointed out the disparity in GST rates, with 18% on biscuits and only 3% on gold, questioning for whom this government is working.
Regarding the video release, Rajkumar asked if it was done with Srinivasan's permission, calling it a violation of personal privacy laws. He described the scene as reminiscent of taking someone back to the stone age.
"Annapoorna is seen as the face of Coimbatore. Humiliating the Annapoorna owner is like insulting the people of Coimbatore," Rajkumar stated. He claimed that 30% of industries have shut down due to GST implementation.
The DMK MP also touched upon social justice issues, stating that the DMK is qualified to speak about women's social justice. He accused the opposition of dividing people based on religion, caste, and now gender.
Rajkumar defended the DMK government's stance, saying that during elections, they focused on their achievements rather than criticizing the opposition. He assured that the DMK would strongly condemn the alleged intimidation of the Annapoorna owner and stand by him.
He concluded by clarifying that the electricity tariff hike in Tamil Nadu was due to the central government's policies. Rajkumar also criticized state BJP leader Annamalai for expressing regret over the video release but not for the incident itself.