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ITC Chairman YC Deveshwar on Friday took a dig at the anti-tobbacco lobby groups and various non-governmental organisations that have been calling for increased taxes on cigarettes.
He even said “vested interests” were at work to “derail Indian brands”.
Legal cigarettes, Deveshwar said, accounts for just 11 per cent of the tobacco consumption. “Why are these NGOs not calling for increased taxation on other tobacco products like beedi?
“People are not clear whether they are taxing cigarettes or tobacco,” he said in a press meet.
The ‘legal’ cigarette industry has come under pressure from smuggled and non-duty paid offerings.
Deveshwar also questioned the funding patterns of these NGOs. “We are the Number 3 food company and in the distant future we will be Number 1.
“It is hurting some people and there are vested interests. Nobody questioned when we were a cigarette company.
“But now, 58 per cent of our business comes from Others; then, people have suddenly started saying its a tobacco company," he said.
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