PM Modi's tobacco directive yet another 'jumla': Congress

Reacting to reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking Health Minister J.P. Nadda to go ahead with enforcing larger pictorial warnings on cigarette packets, the Congress party on Saturday termed it as another 'jumla' by the former.

"This is another 'jumla' by the Prime Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) because the law is to have 85 percent pictorial warnings, so where does 60-65 percent is coming," said Congress spokesman Ajoy Kumar.

"Another issue is 'beedi'..the pictorial warning has to be on all others including cigarette packets, beedi packets, gutka...and action needs to be taken. The Prime Minister should come clear and say clearly to the people of the country what steps are they taking," he added.

Kumar further alleged that the Former health minister Harsh Vardhan was removed from the post as he was against the tobacco lobby.

"The other aspect of the cigarette thing is that the previous health minister, the rumor is that, he was removed he was against the tobacco lobby. And he wanted to bring a legislation that 25 years and below will not be sold cigarettes..also that the cigarettes will not be sold in singles," Kumar said.

"When that rule was brought, he was immediately transferred, that is the rumour," he added.

The reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving instructions to the Health Minister comes after a parliamentary committee said the move should be delayed as there is no local evidence that smoking causes cancer.

According to reports, the Prime Minister sources said that he wants to send a clear message that his government is not caving under pressure from the tobacco lobby.

The government is likely to ask for health warnings that cover 60-65 percent of a cigarette packet.