[nukkad] Gutkha

["Mahesh chandra gupta" <>]

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  What we need is either less corruption, or more chance to
participate in it.
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There was discussion about gutkha on the list earlier. The following might be of interest.

MC Gupta
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http://in.news.yahoo.com/020801/58/1t34i.html

Friday August 2, 3:02 AM

Gutkha lobby deals ISI hand

By Venkitesh Ramakrishnan

Bangalore,  Aug. 1:  If  BJP  leaders from  Karnataka  are to  be
believed, the ban on gutkha will help Pakistan destroy India.

A  group  of BJP leaders  close to  arecanut growers in the state
left for Delhi today to present their case to the Centre.

The  delegation is  led by former MLA K.S. Eswarappa and includes
B.S.  Yediurappa, D.H. Shankaramurthy, H.R. Jnanendra, Visweswara
Hegde   Kageri,  Sadananda  Gowda  and  Katta  Subramanya  Naidu.
Representatives  of  areca growers’  cooperative societies are in
the team.

The  group  argues  that  Pakistani  areca  growers  would  start
smuggling gutkha into India if it is banned here. They also point
out  that the  ban  on gutkha  manufacturing,  storing, sale  and
consumption  in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh has only increased
the black market sale.

A  large  amount of the gutkha  in the black market could be from
Pakistan,  says Eswarappa.  The  group says  that once  Pakistani
smugglers are active here, it would be easy for ISI to infiltrate
various parts of India.

“It could have devastating effects. The ISI would be able to even
launch a kind of biological war against India,” Eswarappa says.

The  delegation plans  to meet deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani,
health   minister  Shatrughan  Sinha  and  Union  ministers  from
Karnataka Ananth Kumar and Basavaraj Yathnal.

The team would try to convince the Centre to take steps necessary
to  prevent addition  of  any  chemicals in  gutkha  that can  be
hazardous to health instead of banning it altogether.

Eswarappa points out that a ban on gutkha would cripple a section
of  agriculturists  in Karnataka. More  than 15 lakh families are
dependent  on the  areca business,  from its  cultivation to  its
sale.  These families  will  be  on the  streets  if  the ban  is
imposed, he adds.

Copyright © 2001 The Telegraph All rights reserved

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