UT Khader, Health & Family
Welfare Minister, Karnataka wrote to the Union Health Minister expressing his
dismay about the recent recommendation put forward by the committee on
Subordinate Legislation. The letter reads, “It is every consumer right to know this fact and
government duty to create such awareness among consumers in order to protect
their lives as a right to health. While it is imperative that
the government takes every step to protect the farmers and labourers working in
this industry, it stands to fact that we cannot ignore the lakhs of people who
die of diseases each year in this country due to tobacco consumption. It is
every consumer right to know this fact and government duty to create such
awareness among consumers in order to protect their lives as a right to
health.”
The Allahabad High Court Bar
Association wrote a touching letter to the Prime Minister with a copy to Union
Health and Family Welfare Minister to implement 85% pictorial pack warning on all
tobacco products as already notified. The High Court Bar Association President,
Sh. Radha Kant Ojha said, "We felt very proud when your Government issued
a notification 2 years back to make large pictorial warnings mandatory on every
tobacco product. It was the need of the hour in a country where tobacco
consumption starts at tender age of 10-12 years. Needless to say that effective
pictorial warning will also deter uneducated people from picking up this habit.
Such strong warnings are known to provoke the tobacco users to quit this
habit.
Umesh Singh, a senior Advocate
with Allahabad High Court said, "We feel dismayed that there are attempts
by supporters of tobacco lobby to subvert the implementation of the new
notification from 1st April 2016. "
Ashok
Kumar Singh, Honorary Secretary of the Bar association said, “Nearly 10 lac
Indians die every year due to tobacco consumption and it not only affects those
consuming it but also people around. How can government give more importance to
right to livelihood over Right to life that is enshrined in the constitution?”
Five widows of former
tobacco users have also written to Prime Minister as their only hope to rein in
the tobacco lobby that is literally a factory that is producing millions of
widows, orphans and bereaved parents.
Sumitra Pednekar,
wife and widow of former Home and Labor Minister of Maharashtra said, “I am
shocked to hear that a parliamentary panel has once again stalled the
implementation of the pictorial warning from 1st April 2016. Modi Ji
I am a live example in front of you whose family has gone through so much
because of this tobacco.”
Renu,
a 45-year-old widow from Jaipur says, “my life came to a standstill when I lost
my husband in 2008 to cancer which was due to tobacco consumption. It is now
difficult to raise the
family. Children are studying in Govt. school now. A father’s absence is always
felt in children. Today when I see anybody using Gutka or cigarette, I shiver
because I suffered the
consequences. I wish these larger pack warnings were there when my husband
started using tobacco during his childhood.”
Rehana,
a 46-year-old widow from Kota, Rajasthan lost her husband in 2011. My husband
was a taxi driver. His diagnosis of cancer led to destruction of our family. I
had to sell my gold ornaments for his treatment. Now, I work to raise 3
children of mine. He was the only bread
earner.” The letter from widows to PM reads - “We were aghast to read in
the newspapers that the parliamentary committee has given more importance to
loss of livelihood than loss of lives of innocent Indians, one of which is my
husband. How many more widows will this country make because of tobacco? Government
must take wise decision to save Indians from tobacco than recommendations made
by such a committee.
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