Recently, the finance ministry announced that the goods and services tax (GST) on caramel popcorn would increase from 5% to 18%. This decision quickly became a hot topic on social media, sparking the hashtag #PopcornTax. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that caramel popcorn is often sold as a snack called namkeen in some states. Since caramel popcorn has added sugar, the tax for it is different.
Shortly after this announcement, the GST Council held a meeting and said that the tax rules for popcorn would actually stay the same. However, the initial news caused a flood of funny memes online, as people joked about what other silly things could be taxed besides popcorn.
In a popular video, a content creator named Aryan Kataria decided to have some fun with the confusion. He walked around asking people on the street about strange new GST rules. In one part of the video called “Telling people about weird GST rules,” he told a group of people on their phones that using their right hand to hold their phones would now cost them extra money in taxes. Many people looked puzzled but switched their phones to their other hands anyway.
Then, Kataria approached an auto driver and told him that keeping his shirt unbuttoned would also attract GST. The surprised driver reacted with, “Really?” and Kataria encouraged him to button up.
Most people believed the prank, even though some questioned how silly it sounded. One person asked, “What does that even mean?” to which Kataria replied that it made just as much sense as the higher tax on caramel popcorn.
The fun continued as he told two men that walking without their arms around each other would also require paying GST. He said, “You’ll have to pay 18% GST. I had to pay it once, too,” which made them laugh and they ended up putting their arms around each other.
The video ended with Kataria revealing it was all just a prank. Social media was filled with funny reactions to the video, with many mentioning how easily people believed in the strange tax ideas. One user said it made them worried, while another praised the creativity of the prank while also commenting on the serious issue behind it.
(Also read: Memes flood the internet as GST Council confirms 18% tax on caramelised popcorn)
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