Beedi controversy rocks AP House, adopts resolution

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Assembly today adopted a resolution urging the Centre to scrap its notification making mandatory pictorial depiction of ''skull and crossed bone'' sign on Beedi bundles.

The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy was supported by all parties except the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Earlier, the opposition TDP, TRS and CPI(M) forced adjournment of the House as soon as the winter session of the Assembly started when Speaker K R Suresh Reddy announced that he was disallowing the adjournment motions given giving notice to them.

The House was plunged into bedlam with the determined opposition stalling the proceedings and demanding taking up of the issue immediately. As repeated pleas to resume their seats fell on deaf ears, the Speaker adjourned the House for nearly 15 minutes.

Moving the resolution, the Chief Minister said the Centre had assured several delegations of Beedi manufacturers, trade unions and workers which had represented to the government about the potential hardship in the form of unemployment and loss of livelihood to the poor workers.

Floor leaders of various parties urged the Chief Minister to lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to mount pressure on the Union government to withdraw the order issued in July this year.

Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu demanded compensation for families of seven beedi workers, who had committed suicide.

BSP member L Raja Rao opposed the resolution saying that it was unfortunate that the Central notification based on the recommendations of the World Health Organisation to protect the health of Beedi industry workers had been politicised.

Meanwhile, the CITU-led Beedi and Cigar Workers Union led by its Vice President S Punyavati submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking his intervention for withdrawal of the Central notification and welfare schemes for beedi workers.

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