Bidi Federation alleges step-motherly treatment

Lucknow, July 15 (UNI) All India Bidi Industry Federation (AIBIF) today decided to make a concerted effort against the ''step-motherly'' treatment being meted out to the industry.

AIBIF will soon open units in all the bidi producing states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Tamil Nadu to ensure better coordination among all the small and big bidi manufacturers.

Addressing a news conference here this evening, Uttar Pradesh Bidi Manufacturers Association (UPBMA) patron and Member of Parliament Shayamacharan Gupta said the Centre should take the Bidi industry seriously, since it gives employment to four crore people.

''Newer regulations and taxes being imposed on us are having an adverse effect on the industry,'' he alleged.

Mr Gupta said there was no need to impose rules of employees' provident fund on bidi industry, since most workers were employed on contract.

Throwing a challenge to health experts and scientists to prove that Bidi was injurious to health, he claimed the product did not pose any ill-effect on humans.

''Bidi comes under herbal smoking category and the government is unnecessarily trying to regulate the industry,'' Mr Gupta lamented.

While, there was freedom regarding the advertisements by liquor and cigarette companies, bidi manufacturers cannot publicise their products, the MP claimed.

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