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Mamata asks people to smoke more; receives
flak
Thursday April 25, 2013 07:00:04 PM,
IANS
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Kolkata: West Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday came in for sharp
criticism from within her party and the opposition after she
suggested people to "smoke more" to provide compensation to
victims of a chit fund scam.
"Smoking is bad.. let there be tax on it. But am I responsible for
what Sudipta Sen did? Why should I pay more tax on every cigarette
I smoke? I haven't fleeced the people, I haven't fleeced their
money," rebel Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Kabir Suman said.
The singer-turned-politician said the 10 percent additional tax on
cigarettes announced by the Banerjee government Wednesday was not
a "valid political argument".
Banerjee Wednesday announced the constitution of Rs.500 crore
relief fund for compensating depositors who have lost money by
investing in chit funds run by the Saradha Group.
After declaring the 10 percent additional tax on cigarettes,
Banerjee with a smile had said: "Smoke a little more to help the
investors".
Congress MP and spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury described Banerjee's
suggestion as "alarming and destructive".
"When the world has been campaigning against the fatal effects of
smoking, the chief minister comes out asking people to smoke more.
It is alarming, it is destructive," said Chowdhury.
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