Beedi issue dominates Karimnagar LS bypoll scene

Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh, Nov 23 (UNI) The Centre's order making it mandatory for beedi manufacturers to display pictorial health warning on the product continues to dominate the political scene in the run up to the important bye-election in the Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Blaming the BJP, the TDP and the Congress for 'sounding the death-knell' for the 'beedi' industry 'hitting hard' lakhs of beedi workers many of them women, TRS Chief K Chandrasekara Rao challenged the parties for a public debate on the issue.

Mr Rao told the press the BJP-led NDA Government supported by the TDP passed a law in 2003 and the Manmohan Singh Government issued the order making it mandatory to display the 'skull and bone' warning sign.

Meanwhile, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh maintained the Centre's order would not not have any bearing on the election as the Congress had taken care to ensure the welfare of beedi workers.

Mr Rao, who was a Minister in the UPA Government when the order was passed, was politicising it for electoral gain, he alleged.

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