BANGALORE: Samajwadi Party State unit president and former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa on Sunday urged Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss to immediately withdraw his statement that the Government would ban the sale of gutkha, as it has led to a crash in the prices of areca in Karnataka.

He told presspersons here that within days of the announcement, areca prices had plunged from Rs. 18,000 a quintal to Rs. 13,000, leaving a question mark over the future of lakhs of growers.

Mr. Bangarappa said it was "irresponsible" of Dr. Ramadoss to make such statements, particularly when a couple of months ago, the Union Government issued a notification that gutkha would be banned from 2008. He said this "ill-timed" statement could only mean that the ruling United Progressive Alliance Government had made the announcement with an eye on the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh, which has a large number of gutkha manufacturers.

By causing panic among the manufacturers, the intention was to create an artificial glut and provoke distress sale, and extort money from manufactures, he alleged.

However, he said he would advise farmers in the State to hold on to their stocks, and not sell them at a lesser price.

Mr. Bangarappa said though the State Government had announced that it would fix minimum support price for copra and onion, farmers were still waiting for relief, as nothing had happened on ground.

Mr. Bangarappa said he would be touring Bagalkot, Belgaum and Bijapur districts for three days from October 17 to mobilise support for his party, and to enrol members to broaden the party base.

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