A video of Akshata Murthy, wife of former chancellor Rishi Sunak serving tea to journalists and photographers went viral. The video showed Murthy walking up to the journalists and photographs outside their home and serving them tea with biscuits.
Journalist Josh Gafson tweeted images of Akshata Murthy bringing the journalists tea and biscuits and expressed his gratitude towards her.
Eagle-eyed Twitter users noticed that the crockery in the video seemed to be from a brand named Emma Lacey.
Rishi Sunak became the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Monday, October 24.
Sunak became the Prime Minister less than two months after he lost to Liz Truss in the election race. Truss will step down today, October 25 and Sunak will become the Prime Minister. He will ask King Charles III for symbolic permission to form a government.
Akshata Murthy Crockery: What Is The Issue?
Mugs from Emma Lacey cost around 38 pounds each and the users were quick to criticise Murthy. The increase in taxes and cost of living lead to public discontent against the government led by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sunak had come under criticism for the increase in taxes while he was chancellor.
Akshata Murthy, daughter of billionaire co-founder of Infosys Narayan Murthy was involved in a controversy after it was revealed that she had a non-domicile status and did not pay taxes to the government for her income outside Britain. Following the controversy, she clarified that she would not be availing of the non-domicile status and would begin paying taxes.
While Murthy had not committed a crime by not paying the government taxes for her income outside of Britain, it was seen as hypocritical for the former chancellor’s wife to have a reduced tax bill while he raised the tax bill for the citizens of the United Kingdom.
A Twitter user referred to the controversy and said, “Maybe she should bring out a few cheques to pay some taxes before she brings out tea”. Another user called Murthy tone-deaf and said, “The price of that mug could feed a family for two days”.
Other Twitter users defended both Murthy and the crockery. A user said they were “amazed by the criticism and asked, “Who really has the time to check out how much the mugs cost?”
Another user described Murthy as “courteous and humble” for serving the journalists and photographers tea.
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