Date:10/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/10/stories/2007051008810400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi clarifies on beedi symbol row

Special Correspondent

"I only appealed to Centre to keep its order in abeyance"

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi clarified in the Assembly on Wednesday that he had only appealed to the Centre to keep in abeyance its order, making the skull symbol mandatory on beedi rolls, and had not sought withdrawal of the order.

Responding to members' apprehension that the Central directive would hit the beedi industry, the Chief Minister said when an industry, providing employment to lakhs of people collapsed, not only the industry but also the workers would suffer. One should look at the issue from this angle only.

When he came to know that lakhs of beedi workers were planning rallies and protests against the Centre's order, he immediately wrote to the Prime Minister and the Union Health Minister, requesting them to withhold the order to prevent any unfortunate incident. If only the letter had been properly read, there would not have been any opposition from the Pattali Makkal Katchi.

In good faith

Though the Centre's order was issued in good faith, if a majority of the people protested against it without knowing the positive aspects, it was only proper for the Government to respect their sentiments by holding back the order, and implementing it after convincing the people.

In this connection, the Chief Minister said how the State Government had dropped its plan to set up a satellite town following opposition to it. The move was to respect the sentiments of a majority of the people. If, in future, the majority were for setting up the town, it would be re-considered.

In a similar manner, he had requested the Prime Minister and the Health Minister to postpone the implementation of the order and review the issue after some time.

Citing media reports that the Centre had formed a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee to study the issue in depth, he hoped that his request would be considered positively.

Earlier raising the issue, S. Peter Alphonse (Congress) said over 10 lakh beedi workers would be affected by the order. He alleged a clandestine attempt to close down beedi units in Tamil Nadu. D. Jayakumar (AIADMK), V. Sivapunniyam (CPI) and C. Govindasamy (CPI-M) sought early intervention of the State Government to save the industry from the present crisis.

Justifying the Centre's order, G.K. Mani (PMK) said it was in tune with the World Health Organisation's advice that smoking was injurious to health. He alleged that beedi manufacturers had instigated the workers' stir.