BJP MP’s comments on tobacco and cancer trigger storm
1 April 2015 5:58 AM IST
Gandhi, an MP from Maharashtra, was also described as “foolish” and “ignorant” for his “shocking and absurd” remarks that coincided with the April 1 deadline for increasing size of pictoral warnings on tobacco products being deferred by the Government amid demands by various tobacco lobbies.
“Do not listen to these things. Science is science. You cannot compromise on science,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said disapproving of Gandhi’s statement at a news conference where he was asked to give his response.
Gandhi, head of Parliamentary panel on subordinate legislation examining the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, said all studies in regard to health hazards of tobacco consumption have come from abroad and one should consider the Indian aspect too.
The panel had “strongly” urged the government to keep on hold its proposal to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco packets from 40 per cent to 85 per cent.
“All agree on the harmful effects of tobacco. But there is no Indian survey report to prove that tobacco consumption leads to cancer. All the studies are done abroad. Cancer does not happen only because of tobacco. We have to study the Indian context, as four crore people in states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are dependent on bidi-making through Tendupatta,” said Gandhi.
He said the Committee has only sought deferment of tobacco warnings till it looks into the whole issue in the Indian context and not be driven by foreign surveys.
The statement of Gandhi gave ammunition to opposition Congress with its General Secretary Digvijay Singh demanding a probe to find out whether there was any connection between BJP and cigarette manufacturers.
“One has to do some research on the connection between BJP and cigarette, gutka manufacturers. Then only we will find an answer...,” Singh said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule expressed her “shock” at the remarks and termed it as “unfortunate”. “I am not alarmed but I am shocked anybody can make a statement like that. It is very unfortunate... Maybe he is misinformed or misled by somebody,” she said.
“Do not listen to these things. Science is science. You cannot compromise on science,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said disapproving of Gandhi’s statement at a news conference where he was asked to give his response.
Gandhi, head of Parliamentary panel on subordinate legislation examining the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, said all studies in regard to health hazards of tobacco consumption have come from abroad and one should consider the Indian aspect too.
The panel had “strongly” urged the government to keep on hold its proposal to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco packets from 40 per cent to 85 per cent.
“All agree on the harmful effects of tobacco. But there is no Indian survey report to prove that tobacco consumption leads to cancer. All the studies are done abroad. Cancer does not happen only because of tobacco. We have to study the Indian context, as four crore people in states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are dependent on bidi-making through Tendupatta,” said Gandhi.
He said the Committee has only sought deferment of tobacco warnings till it looks into the whole issue in the Indian context and not be driven by foreign surveys.
The statement of Gandhi gave ammunition to opposition Congress with its General Secretary Digvijay Singh demanding a probe to find out whether there was any connection between BJP and cigarette manufacturers.
“One has to do some research on the connection between BJP and cigarette, gutka manufacturers. Then only we will find an answer...,” Singh said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule expressed her “shock” at the remarks and termed it as “unfortunate”. “I am not alarmed but I am shocked anybody can make a statement like that. It is very unfortunate... Maybe he is misinformed or misled by somebody,” she said.
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