AAP lady volunteers make human chain pressing for swift implementation of anti-tobacco law

Ludhiana, March 8, 2015: Aam Aadmi Party Ludhiana lady volunteers made a human chain from Bhai Bala Chowk to the Deputy Commissioner’s office today on the occasion of International Women’s day. Wearing their signature Aam Aadmi Caps and holding placards against smoking and tobacco products they were demanding swift implementation of the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Act (COPTA) which prohibits any tobacco vends within 100 meters of an Educational or Religious Institution and no smoking in public places.

The women volunteers were sending a message that Smoking and tobacco products cause them to lose their near and dear ones to cancer and other lung based diseases while Women and children suffer due to passive smoking and the fact that these tobacco products are available within 100 meters of schools and colleges in the district makes their children especially vulnerable to these addictions. While the law has been enacted the District and State Administration show no eagerness in its implementation thus causing untold suffering to their families and that is why they are holding this protest on Women’s day.

Aam Aadmi Party Spokesperson H. S. Phoolka joined this novel way of protest and stated “It’s a complete travesty of the COPTA law that tobacco and liquor vends continue to flourish with impunity near Educational and Religious institutions while the Government looks the other way. Our women volunteers have taken up the cudgels against this as they feel that these addictions are destroying their families and children in huge numbers every year and Aam Aadmi Party will continue to raise this issue until the law is implemented in letter and spirit.”