On Saturday, soon after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) came into effect, columnist Shobhaa De put out a tweet about the "side-effects" of GST.
She shared a picture of a receipt from Murugan Idli Shop in Nanganallur in Chennai writing "GST ke side effects. Unaffordable idlis".
GST ke side effects. Unaffordable idlis pic.twitter.com/1wZCaHjT4h
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) July 1, 2017
However, the receipt does not include any idlis but one ghee pongal and coffee each.
The Twitterati was quick to point it out.
Tweet says idli, Bill says Pongal. And you went to Nanganallur to have this? Wah wah https://t.co/cWIkTN9pua
— Chandra R. Srikanth (@chandrarsrikant) July 2, 2017
— लंडन जोगनिया (@londonyogini786) July 1, 2017
@guffawer @angelsivan - Can u please confirm that Coffee+Pongal is equal to Idlis? Will be helpful. Thanks. @DeShobhaa https://t.co/10AXDEeOq0
— TimeTraveler's Life (@mohitschauhan) July 1, 2017
Ghee Pongal is affordable but can't afford Idli https://t.co/yHlhrO6waB
— Lyncher Wali (@iamWali10) July 1, 2017
Hope after seeing images you may be able to differentiate between #Idli & #Pongal pic.twitter.com/a8auTH1jb0
— Rajesh Shenoy (@ranjalrajesh) July 1, 2017
The receipt shows that for a bill of Rs 75, the tax levied is Rs 13.5.
Others noted that the tax charged by restaurants under GST has actually come down from around 20.5% (including service tax and VAT) to a uniform 18%.
VAT was 12.5-14.5%
— Poroma (@PoromaMunshi) July 1, 2017
Service Tax was 6%
Total was 18.5-20.5% Plus Service Charge.
Now GST is 18%. Got it Ms De?
U used to service tax + vat earlier arnd 18.5 or 20 % or so . Now u paid 18 %.
— simran (@sim_248) July 1, 2017
Hello @DeShobhaa , for your reference some calculation I have done for your understanding . Care to tweet to share knowledge ? pic.twitter.com/jRY7m04JKV
— Pawan Durani (@PawanDurani) July 1, 2017
Sharing 'outcry' invoice of @DeShobhaa & me explaining how her outcry was wrong & fact remained that under GST the invoice value is lesser pic.twitter.com/ZtjUZkI1S9
— Pawan Durani (@PawanDurani) July 1, 2017
Some also asked if De had picked up the picture from WhatsApp as another user too had tweeted the same receipt on Saturday.
Now I am confused whether this idli bill shobha got it from WhatsApp group or she copied it from @realkeerthi Twitter timeline pic.twitter.com/u57TRhwBl6
— Praveen ಶಿರಾಲಿ (@pkshirali) July 1, 2017
And someone also wrote a poem about it.
Shobha De went for a brunch
— Bhāvesh Kansārā (@gbkansara) July 1, 2017
Ordered some French fries to munch
Looked at the bill
Asked with her skill
"So costly ya, this fruit punch"