Inspired by RR Patil's death, Maharashtra home minister vows to rid state of tobacco

Former Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil’s death has jolted the current home minister. Unnerved by Patil’s death, who was suffering of oral cancer and was just 57-years-old, Dr Deepak Sawant has declared war against tobacco products in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2106107” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Maharashtra government plans to ban smokeless tobacco products. Reuters[/caption] Dr Deepak Sawant, who became the state Health Minister three months ago, has made a 10-point plan to make Maharashtra a smokeless tobacco-free state, according to Mumbai Mirror . “It is really sad that we lost a senior politician and statesman to acute oral cancer,” Mumbai Mirror quoted Sawant as saying. “It is alarming that 2 crore people in Maharashtra chew tobacco. I want my state free of this scourge.” “I do not want to see a single teacher or member of the staff to be seen chewing tobacco in the premises of the educational institution that employs them,” Sawant added, as he said he will begin this campaign against tobacco products in educational institutions. Sawant’s statements come after senior NCP leader RR Patil, who was Maharashtra’s Home Minister during the 26/11 terror attacks, passed away at the Lilavati Hospital due to oral cancer. Ironically, one of the tasks which Patil took on was to keep banned gutka out of Maharashtra. Even the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier in February said that the state government will impose a ban on tobacco consumption at public places. “Cancer caused by consumption of tobacco, gutkha, paan masala and cigarettes affects not only that individual, but an entire family is destroyed,” he had said. “Consumption of tobacco at public places will be banned and necessary steps taken in this regard,” Fadnavis had said after visiting the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai on World Cancer Day. “It is seen that sale of tobacco and paan masala is on the rise in the vicinity of educational institutions. A ban on their sale will be enforced with the help of Home and education departments,” the Maharashtra CM had said. (With inputs from PTI)