Congress slams BJP MP's remark on tobacco and cancer

New Delhi, March 31: Congress today mounted an attack on Narendra Modi government coining a phrase "Abki Baar Tobacco Lobby ki Sarkar" as it condemned BJP MP Dilip Gandhi's remarks that all studies linking cancer to tobacco have come from abroad and that there is no Indian survey report to confirm it.

"Abki Baar Tobacco Lobby ki Sarkar! #BJPsTrueColours," the party said on its official Twitter handle. [Shocking! No Indian study to affirm tobacco products lead to cancer, says BJP MP]

Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, "BJP MP says no Indian study links tobacco to cancer. First they cut health budgets now openly lobbying for the Corporates. #AccheDin."

The barbs targeted party reminding people of BJP's slogans like "Abki Baar Modi Sarkar" and "Acche Din Aanewale Hain" in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said on Twitter,"BJP MP says no connection between Cancer and Tobacco! Is he in Tobacco business? Amazing observation MP Saheb!".

Singh further said, "one has to do some research on the connection between BJP and cigarette, gutka manufacturers. Then only we will find an answer... Issue is has the Congress party ever taken a decision or even initiated the procedure of removing these warnings from the cigarette packets or gutkas?... "We have never done that. But here is a deliberate attempt to undo and sort of remove the warning".

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has also dismissed the party MP's remarks saying "Do not listen to these things. Science is science. You cannot compromise on science."

Gandhi had yesterday said all studies linking cancer to tobacco have come from abroad and that one should consider the Indian aspect too.

The parliamentary committee, which Gandhi - a BJP MP from Maharashtra - heads, had "strongly" urged the government to put on hold its proposal to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco packets from 40 per cent to 85 per cent. The government notification in this regard was to come into effect from today.

PTI