Eggs and bananas are supposed to be two of the cheapest, simplest food items in the world. However, luxury hotels have managed to convert them into gourmet, overpriced food, that can legit burn a hole in your pocket.
After the Rahul Bose fiasco of being charged over Rs 500 for just two bananas, the government looked into the matter, to find the reason behind?luxury hotels charging exorbitant rates for simple food items.?
In August this year,?Consumer Affairs Minister, Ramvilas Paswan, said the government was examining whether such services could be brought under the retail sales price or within the ambit of the newly-enacted Consumer Protection Law.
Paswan said the ministry had decided to seek an explanation from the hotels ¡ª through the respective state governments ¡ª on the break-up of charges levied under different heads.
Three months have passed since the first incident of Actor Rahul Bose's banana conundrum. And now another case has surfaced, the victim being music director Shekhar Ravjianii, who was charged Rs 1,672 for three boiled eggs by Hyatt Regency, Ahmedabad.?
?The music composer was charged Rs 1,672 for three egg whites. 'Rs. 1672 for 3 egg whites??? That was an Eggxorbitant meal', he tweeted.
For those unaware,?Shekhar is one half of the popular Vishal-Shekhar duo. He started his career in music composing in 1999, with Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, and has made music for films like Bluffmaster, Om Shanti Om and Happy New Year.
Similar to Shekhar's case, author-photographer Karik Dhar tweeted out a picture of his bill in August, when he was charged?Rs 1,700 for two boiled eggs at Mumbai¡¯s Four Seasons Hotel.
The Twitter user by the handle @KartikDhar tagged Rahul Bose in his post and wrote ¡®Bhai Aandolan karein?¡¯ That's not all, he was also charged Rs 850 for an omelette.?
In Rahul Bose's case, soon after the?video came to the notice of Excise and Taxation Department, JW Marriott Chandigarh was fined with Rs 25,000 for violation of section 11 of CGST (illegal collection of tax on an exempted item).?
We have to wait and see what action is taken against Hyatt Regency for billing Shekhar Ravjianii Rs 1,672 for the eggs, unless of course, the hotel turns around and gives a statement about how the cost is justified because they offer, "service, quality, plate, cutlery, accompaniment, ambience and luxury," with the eggs.?
FYI, the above clarification was given by the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations after Rahul Bose's incident and it's absolutely ridiculous. No matter how incredible the quality of service or the 'ambience', eggs and bananas are not gold and should never have such a hefty price tag.?