A Lawyers’ collective in Bengaluru has sent a 21-day ultimatum to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding that the ban on chewing tobacco be reinstated.
Lawyers for Tobacco Control, a collective headed by the freedom fighter H S Doreswamy will submit the letter to the CM on Monday.
They demand that the government ban chewing tobacco within 21 days, failing which they threaten to pile up bodies of those who died of tobacco-related diseases, in front of Siddaramaiah’s Bengaluru residence.
Advocates S S Ravishankar, K V Dhananjay, Raghavendra E P along with the Cancer Patients’ Aid Association convener, Vasanth Mysoremath have extended their support to the ultimatum.
Advocate S S Ravishankar, president of Lawyers for Tobacco Control, in his statement said, “Immediately reverse the suicidal reopening of chewing tobacco manufacturing factories in Karnataka failing which bodies of persons who die due to chewing tobacco will be deposited at the Chief Minister’s residence each day.”
“Some states treat tobacco on par with cyanide, chloroform and heroin. One-third of the adult population in Karnataka consumes tobacco. Of this, 63 per cent chews tobacco,” the statement said.
The Karnataka government, on October 26, 2016, had issued an order to stop the sale, distribution, production and manufacture of chewing tobacco.
The Centre, in August 2011, had prohibited chewing tobacco under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, following which state governments were required to issue corresponding orders.
This move came after five years of opposition to the sale of chewing tobacco. However, on May 6, the state government reversed this ban by allowing manufacture of chewing tobacco in the state.