#HandsOffParotta trends after courts rules higher GST rate for parottas

Team Udayavani, Jun 12, 2020, 7:28 PM IST

New Delhi: The ruling by a special court to a Bengaluru-based food company has started a Twitter trend protesting the higher tax on the staple flatbread for many – the Parotta.

Two products by ID Fresh Foods – whole wheat parotta and Malabar parotta – were classified by the court as not ‘ready-to-eat’ as they have to be heated before being eaten, accordingly, they will be taxed under the 18 per cent bracket.

Ready to eat food items such as khakra, toast, bread and chapati or roti are taxed under the 5 per cent bracket.

Social media, especially Twitter, immediately went abuzz with this news. Some alleged that this is northern Indian bias against southern Indians as parotta is immensely popular here.

“First they came for Pazhampori and Appam.

Now they came for Kerala Porotta.”#HandsOffPorotta pic.twitter.com/3nIK5aeQIh

— ComradeFromKerala ? (@ComradeMallu) June 12, 2020

The loyal fans of the Malabar cuisine simply cannot keep their #handsoffporotta, lockdown or not. Share your favorite porotta recipes with us. pic.twitter.com/ckgIddBjpf

— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) June 12, 2020

Even Anand Mahindra tweeted on the issue:

With all the other challenges the country is facing, it makes you wonder if we should be worrying about an existential crisis for the ‘Parota.’ In any case, given Indian jugaad skills, I’m pretty sure there will be a new breed of ‘Parotis’ that will challenge any categorisation! https://t.co/IwHXKYpGHG

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 12, 2020