Congress demands BJP and TDP to apologise to beedi workers

Hyderabad, May 12 (UNI) The Congress today demanded an apology from the BJP and TDP, which were agitating against the pictorial warning of skull and cross bones on beedi packets, saying it was during the NDA rule that the act was brought.

Talking to newsmen here, PCC official spokesperson N Tulasi Reddy said BJP leader and then Central Minister Sushma Swaraj had introduced the 'Cigarettes and other tobacco products Act 2003' and it was approved by the Rajya Sabha on April 9, 2003 and the Lok Sabha on April 30. On May 18, 2003, the President gave his assent to the Act.

Mr Reddy also quoted TDP leader K Yerran Naidu as saying, ''I have gone through the bill and I indeed appreciate the initiative taken by the government in this regard.'' ''The TDP and BJP leaders are now posing as if they are the champions of the cause of beedi workers'', he said. He said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was trying to do everything in his command to come to the rescue of beedi workers.

Referring to the TDP leaders' proposed dharna in New Delhi against the alleged illegal construction of the Babli project on river Godavari, Mr Reddy said the Maharashtra government had given administrative sanction with an estimated cost of Rs 31.37 crore on March 10, 1995, when the TDP was in power in Andhra Pradesh.

He said the estimated cost of the project was revised to Rs 93 crore and tenders were opened on November 10, 2003.

He added, having slept over the issue when they were in power, it was ridiculous of the TDP to raise a hue and cry against the project now.

He said the matter was before the Supreme Court which had directed the Maharashtra government not to construct gates and obstruct the natural flow of the river.

He alleged the train journey of the TDP workers to Delhi as a political journey and said it had nothing to do with the Babli project.

UNI