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Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam April 18 There is a conspiracy in the country to kill the beedi industry in order to give a boost to the cigarette industry and it should be defeated by all concerned, especially the political parties and the trade unions in Andhra Pradesh, according to Mr Gurudas Dasgupta, Member of Rajya Sabha and the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) leader.

At a press meet here on Wednesday, Mr Dasgupta said the sustained campaign had been mounted to get the skull mark printed on beedi packets to caution the public and it was intended to kill the beedi industry in the guise of protecting public health.

`Only statutory warning'

"Millions of workers in the unorganised sector are dependent on beedi-rolling in States such as A.P. and it is nothing but an attempt to hit at their livelihood," he said and gave a call to the parties and unions in the State to fight the move. He expressed the opinion that there should only be a statutory warning on beedi packets as on cigarettes and nothing more. He said the central unions would fight the move.

Mr Dasgupta condemned the policies of the UPA Government, especially the economic policies, and opined that the Left should reconsider its support to the Government. However, to a question whether withdrawal of support by the Left was imminent, he said his remark should be understood "in the right perspective in the present political context."

More Stories on : Cigarettes | Trade & Labour Unions | Andhra Pradesh

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