Mangalore, Dec 21: Former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a mass protest in Mangalore on January 2, against central government's move of banning areca-nut.
He said that over 50,000 areca-nut growers and party workers will carry out a rally from Jyothi Circle and later a protest meet will be held at Nehru Maidan, Mangalore.
“More than five lakh families in 12 districts of Karnataka are dependent on areca-nut. Nearly two lakh families grow areca-nut and now their future is in trouble. Earlier, while banning 'gutkha', BJP welcomed the decision considering the health issues. But now, state government along with union government is supporting the proposed ban on areca-nut. This will encounter the future of many farmers, he said. The BJP is opposing the ban over areca-nut,” he said.
The consumption of areca-nut was part of Indian tradition. Areca-nut is used as medicine in Ayurveda also. There is the chance of injurious tings after mixing tobacco and nicotine, he added.
He said there was a decline in the profit of cigarette companies after gutka became popular. Cigarette companies began to pressurize the government to ban gutkha. Even after gutka was banned, the consumption of areca-nut with tobacco has continued. Now tobacco companies are pressurizing government to ban gutka, he opined.
Mr Gowda said the Karnataka High Court in 2007 had ruled that areca-nut was not injurious to health and he noted that the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, had also certified that consumption of areca-nut was not injurious to health. Now state government has to fight to protect farmers and its industry by appointing a panel of advocates, he demanded.
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