PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss
The "blatantly foolish" comments by parliamentarians claiming there is no evidence in India to link cigarettes to cancer is leading to the global impression that "Indian MPs have low acumen," said former Health Minister A Ramadoss to NDTV today.
Mr Ramadoss, 46, who is from the Tamil Nadu regional party the PMK, said that contrary to what several law-makers from the ruling BJP have declared, "hundreds of studies" conducted in India expose the immense health damage done by tobacco.
This week, tobacco has been defended in various bizarre statements by BJP members of a parliamentary committee; one, arguing against curbs on tobacco, declared that sugar is not banned despite causing diabetes. The defense of tobacco has commissioned a debate and furious criticism from health experts and activists. The panel said it needs more time to debate a government proposal to enforce significantly larger pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs. As a result, an April 1 deadline for the larger health warnings has been delayed.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Ramadoss warns that must be corrected. Nearly 5,500 children start using tobacco every day, he writes, adding that 2,500 Indians die every day of tobacco-related diseases.
Mr Ramadoss said that while in office, he ensured that pictorial warnings were enlarged to 45 per cent, despite strong opposition from "120 MPs, four chief ministers and some colleagues in the cabinet."