The Hindu : National : CPI demands ban on colas in West Bengal

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Friday, Aug 25, 2006

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CPI demands ban on colas in West Bengal

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The demand for a ban on the manufacture and sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola in West Bengal was raised at a meeting of the State cabinet of the Left Front Government by a minister belonging to the Communist Party of India (CPI) and was reportedly endorsed by another of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) here on Thursday.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in response, reportedly reiterated that it was for the Centre to take any such decision.

The CPI central secretariat also issued a statement from New Delhi during the day urging all State Governments and the Centre to take steps to prohibit the manufacture and sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola in the interest of public health as has been done in Kerala and five other States.

The State's Minister for Water Resources, Nandagopal Bhattacharya, who is also member of the CPI central secretariat, while calling for the ban told the meeting that selling these drinks to the public amounted to offering them "poison."

His views on the subject were reportedly supported by the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Minister, Naren Dey, who belongs to the AIFB.

Later speaking to The Hindu Mr. Bhattacharya said that the Kerala Government had taken the decision prohibiting the manufacture and sale of the colas in that State on the basis of what the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare "with all its responsibility" had to inform it regarding the tests conducted on samples of the soft drinks by the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.

"I will continue to insist on the demand for a ban on the sale and manufacture of the cola drinks in West Bengal. I will not allow offering the public poison in the name of soft drinks," he said.

The CPI in the State would continue its protest against the manufacture and sale of the colas, Mr. Bhattacharya said.

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