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.
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."
"Willing To Provide All Possible...": India Ahead Of PM Modi's Ukraine Trip PM Modi To Visit Ukraine On August 23, Will Hold Talks With Zelensky Shiv Sena, BJP Leaders Exchange Barbs Over Mumbai-Goa Highway Indian Airports, Borders On Alert As Global Mpox Cases Rise: 10 Points "My Intention Was To...": Sudha Murty Clarifies Raksha Bandhan Post UK Tech Tycoon Missing After Superyacht Sinks Off Sicily In Italy US Intelligence Officials Say Iran Responsible For Trump Campaign Hack Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan Applies To Be Oxford Chancellor From Jail LIVE: Democratic Convention Begins, Kamala Harris To Accept Nomination Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.