Beedi issue raises tempers in RS as Congress, TDP MPs trade charges

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) The issue of the warning on beedi packets, which has stirred up a storm in Andhra Pradesh, today figured in the Rajya Sabha with members of the Congress and the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) engaging in heated exchanges on the topic.

The issue of the Union Health ministry's July 5 notification, which has made it mandatory to print a ''skull and bones'' warning on beedi packets had been bitterly resented in Andhra Pradesh, the biggest manufacturer of beedi quality tobacco in the country.

The situation got further excerbated as it came at a time when an eagerly-watched contest is set to take place in Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency, held by former Union Labour Minister and Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) supremo K Chandrashekhara Rao, who resigned after quitting the UPA government.

Both the Congress and the TDP are using the issue to woo over 1.5 lakh beedi workers of the constituency, where Mr rao has characterised the bypoll as an ''referendum on Telengana.' TDP's K Ramachandraiah took exception to the statement of Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes in Andhra Pradesh promising to change the notification at a time when the Parliament was in session. ''The statement comes from a Minister who is not handling the Health Ministry and he should make it in the House instead of making it outside,'' he noted, adding that it would have been better if the party's 'Supreme Leader' had made such statement, who enjoys no constitutional position. This led to vociferous protests from the angered Congress members.

At this, Deputy Chairman K Rehman Khan sought to know from Mr Ramachandraiah whether he was ''worried about the beedi workers or interested in politicising the issue.'' The TDP member said the UPA's CMP had promised jobs but ''here was a case where the government is terrorising the beedi workers by printing skulls and dead bodies and throwing lakhs of employed workers in the cottage industry onto the streets.'' When he raised the issue of the government backing out on the privatisation of Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the Chair cautioned him against stepping into unconcerned zones.

Tempers were already high when the Congress' K Keshava Rao began his speech. The Chair advised him to submit his views ''coolly'', adding that he (Mr Khan) was worried about the member's health.

However, in the din, nobody could make out what Mr Rao spoke except the point that the TDP too had voted for the Bill when it came up before the House in 2003. However, Mr Ramachandraiah retorted that he supported the National Health Policy but that should not push the beedi workers to the streets.

When things reached an uncontrollable stage, the Chair adjourned the House for one hour.

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