Govt reminds BJP that it was only implementing its predecessor government's promise to Supreme Court to ban gutkha after poll.
The BJP on Tuesday turned the state government’s move to ban manufacture and sale of gutkha into a political stick to beat the Siddaramaiah dispensation as the issue rocked both the houses of state legislature.
The BJP members staged a protest and walk-out in the assembly, accusing the government of delivering a big blow to thousands of areca farmers in the state.
Making a preliminary submission for an adjournment motion in the assembly, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar pulled no punches. “The chief minister is acting like an autocrat, taking major decisions unilaterally without any discussion. His hasty decision has dealt a big blow to thousands of areca farmers in Malnad and coastal regions. Areca prices are falling. The state government should have banned gutkha only after taking measures to protect areca farmers,” he said.
The BJP attack was met with strong protests from the Congress benches. Siddaramaiah’s efforts to convince the opposition that the ban was inevitable as the government had only implemented a Supreme Court order, failed to convince the BJP. The latter staged a walk-out.
In the legislative council, leader of the opposition DV Sadananda Gowda expressed his concern for the 1.5 crore population that depended on areca crop directly or indirectly.
“We don’t have a problem with banning of gutkha. We are concerned about unilateral decisions taken by the ruling Congress. When the legislature session is going on, they should have the courtesy to discuss the matter in the houses before making announcements,” he stated.
“They (government) did not even consult the legislators coming from areca-growing areas,” he said. The gutkha ban has disturbed lives of farmers in 16 districts. The prices of the nut has fallen drastically in Mangalore and Shimoga markets, he explained.
Minister for higher education and tourism RV Deshpande argued that the state government was compelled to ban gutkha in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order. Presently, farmers are getting price up to Rs15,000 per tonne of areca in the backdrop of UPA government’s decision to raise the import duty on the commodity. Earlier, farmers used to get between Rs6,000 and Rs7,000, he said.
He reminded the BJP that its government had filed an affidavit before the apex court, promising to ban gutkha after elections and contended that the Congress was only carrying out the BJP’s promise.
Minister for rural development and panchayat raj HK Patil said there was no connection between ban on gutkha and fall of price of areca.
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