Congress MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao has written to the Centreopposing the guidelines of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC).
In a letter to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Raosaid that the guidelines would pose difficulties for tobacco cultivation andtrade in India.
In the letter, Rao suspected a hand of western cigarettemanufactures, "whose ulterior motive is to render Indian tobaccounsuitable for the production of cigarettes."
"Indian cigarette producers will be forced to importtobacco, which would escalate the cost of domestic cigarettes," heobserved.
Rao says that the implementation of guidelines would trigger"smuggling of cigarettes into India and would lead to criminalisation ofthe cigarette trade".
The FCTC guidelines seek to regulate the content of tobaccoproducts and require disclosure of ingredients.
The guidelines also seek to reduce the demand for and supplyof tobacco products and cover all aspects of tobacco regulation includingadvertising and promotion, packaging and labeling, pricing and taxation,illicit trade and smoking cessation.