Mumbai: Opposition BJP on Tuesday accused Congress of becoming increasingly "intolerant" to criticism following the forceful closure of an eatery in central Mumbai by the party activists over a bill ridiculing the UPA government for imposition of service tax on AC restaurants.
"The incident is shocking. The ruling party does not want to give the people right to protest against their scams. Why is Congress so intolerant"? Maharashtra BJP president and MLA Devendra Fadnavis told reporters outside the assembly here.
According to police, Congress workers forced hotel `Aditi`, located near KEM Hospital in central Mumbai, to down its shutters yesterday over a pointed message taking a dig at the Congress government over service tax and scams under UPA watch.
The Congress workers alleged the restaurant was issuing bills to customers with a printed message that read "as per UPA govt eating money (2G, coal, CWG scam) is a necessity and eating food in AC restaurants is a luxury."
The development prompted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to dub it as the "height of intolerance".
Fadnavis alleged it was a case of "high-handedness" by some Congress leaders.
When contacted, Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress president Vishwajit Kadam said the party activists only held demonstrations outside the restaurant and did not force it to shut down.
The Centre has imposed service tax on taxable service provided in restaurants with air-conditioning or central air heating with effect from April 1, 2013.
PTI
