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Friday, June 24, 2005
Smokescreen
Anbumani Ramadoss, the health minister behind the ban on smoking in films in India, is still on the offensive. PTI reports:
Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday charged the tobacco industry with paying heroes to smoke on screen.I like his determination to take on the tobacco lobby, but by coming up with such a ridiculous conspiracy theory, that too without proof, Ramadoss is provoking just one question in the minds of observers: Just what is it that he is smoking?
Ramadoss said he is determined to ensure a complete ban on smoking scenes from October.
"I am not afraid of any lobby, however powerful it is. I am determined to implement the ban come what may," he said.
Claiming he had definite information that the tobacco industry was directly paying heroes to show smoking scenes in the films, he said, "Unfortunately I have no proof."
