Of Quixotes and Tughlaqs

The decision announced by the Ministry of Health relating to ban on display of tobacco products or their use by characters in movies and television and mandatory display of prominent scroll containing health warning when programmes containing scenes with smoking situations and use of other forms of tobacco have been produced prior to the decision and later on screened, is too nonsensical to be taken seriously.

The Hon. Minister concerned would do well to immediately sack the person who talked him into announcing these rules.

Such absurd regulations can only create doubts in the minds of the world about our intellectual capabilities.

Also, earlier in the year, the Finance Minster came up with a Quixotic idea about tax on withdrawals to curb black money.

There have been more such impractical and fanciful ideas floating from various ministries in the new Government in the one year that it has been in power.

Surely, Manmohan Singh, the sensible and intelligent person that he is, would not allow his Ministries to make such displays of naivette, half-baked ideas and ameteurism in the future.