BMS leaders demands separation of beedi from other tobacco products and a separate law for it

New Delhi: Leaders from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) affiliate organisation Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) have met Union minister of commerce and industry Suresh Prabhu with the demands of plantation sector.

One such important demand included separating beedi from other tobaco products. The Union minister assured the delegation of the BMS that a committee will be formed to look into issues related to demands raised by the BMS.

The sector especially tea, rubber etc. are facing crisis to survive and many plantation workers are starving. Plantation products are getting low price in the market.

There are various reasons leading to the crisis. The minister assured that it would be a tripartite committee with representatives of all concerned parties. The committee will look into how to rejuvenate traditional crops.

The delegation also impressed the minister that most of the main employment intensive sectors in the country like manufacturing, MSMEs, textiles, beedi, fisheries, agriculture and allied industries are facing crisis from the past two and a half decades. The minister also assured that a committee will be formed to suggest how to improve these leading job creating sectors.

The BMS leaders also raised their concern over the life and welfare of 4.5 crores of workers, tendu leave pluckers and tobacco growers who were affected by the recent policies of the government.

The organisation demanded separation of beedi from cigarette, pan masala, gudka and other tobacco products and demanded an exclusive law for beedi workers.

Considering beedi as an industrial product, he assured that he would discuss with his counterparts in ministry of environment and ministry of health to sort out ways to address the issues related to welfare of the workers in beedi industry, health of public consuming tobacco, leaves, the issue of farmers cultivating tobaco, pluckers of tendu leaves, how to separate Beedi from the tobacco products in the policy frame work of the government.