The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Beedi logo row: Centre ready to amend G.O.

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Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Beedi logo row: Centre ready to amend G.O.

Special Correspondent

Pictorial display will be replaced by written warning: Oscar

Oscar Fernandes

HYDERABAD: Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes on Sunday said that the Centre was prepared to bring an amendment to the Central Government order prescribing danger mark on beedi bundles.

"The Centre is ready to take legislative measures to protect the interests of crores of beedi workers in the country,"

Mr. Fernandes said at a press conference here in an attempt to dispel their fears.

"The pictorial display of skull and bones will give way to written warning alone," he explained.

The Union Minister discussed the issue with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Health Minister K. Rosaiah and Labour Minister G. Vinod. "Cutting across party lines, MPs have met me and expressed their concern at the agitation by the beedi workers," the Minister said.

"I myself led a delegation to meet the Union Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss urging him to reconsider the decision to implement the order from February 1 next year," he added.

He pointed out that even those parties, which had supported the Bill introduced in Parliament in 2003 by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government were now favouring an amendment.

Dr. Reddy said the Union Minister had specifically come to the city to allay the fears of the beedi workers.

He lashed out at the Opposition parties for trying to gain political mileage out of the issue and clarified that the Congress was in no way connected to enactment of the legislation.

No code violation

The Chief Minister and the Union Minister said their statement on the amendment would not attract any code violation as the issue concerned 3.50 crore workers in the country and not just the people of the State, where two bypolls are scheduled next month.

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