Kerala: Culture Minister Saji Cherian defends public smoking, downplays criminal offences

Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cherian of CPM alleged, on January 3, that smoking is “not a big mistake”; he added that he smokes too. He made the remarks in the presence of U. Prathibha, CPM MLA, at a CPM party programme organised in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district. The minister’s statement is significant in the wake of the ganja case involving MLA’s son Kaniv as an accused. Moreover, the minister said that the woman MLA underwent continuous cyber attacks. She is the best among the 140 MLAs. He said that a non-bailable charge for smoking is not right. Youths may get together and smoke. He wondered if it is a big crime.

The minister reportedly said: “When children grow up, they will get together.” He referred to the FIR lodged against the MLA’s son: “It says that he smoked. Smoking is not a serious mistake. I smoke too.”

In the light of the above statement, John Daniel, Congress Pradesh Committee Secretary and Thrissur Municipal Corporation Councillor, submitted a complaint before the Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala, demanding legal action against the minister for contempt of court. In his complaint, the Congress leader alleged that the minister’s statement was deliberately intended to promote the habit of smoking. The complainant accused the minister of challenging the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA), passed by Parliament, and the 1999 order by the Kerala High Court prohibiting smoking in public. The complaint further stated that Saji Cherian’s remarks insulted the Constitution and legislative assemblies. It also states that encouraging children to smoke is a criminal offence under the law and demanded that a contempt of court case be filed against the minister.

Later on, Cherian clarified his statement; he claimed that he did not put forward any objectionable message. He alleged that the media had distorted his speech. The minister repeated his earlier stand that smoking is not inherently wrong. He said that U. Prathibha’s son was not arrested for “smoking ganja.” Furthermore, he criticised the media for withholding the names of others allegedly involved in the incident. He alleged that the entire episode was part of a conspiracy to target Prathibha; he would not remain silent if his party MLA was unreasonably targeted.

Saji Cherian tried to simplify the incident, stating that a large quantity of cannabis was not seized and there is no substantial evidence linking Prathibha’s son to ganja abuse. He alleged that the Excise Department proceeded with action against the youths instead of guiding and counselling them; it was not appropriate.

The Excise Department arrested nine youths on 28th December, including Kaniv, the MLA’s son, with ganja. All were released on bail; still, an FIR had been filed against the accused.

In the meantime, M.B. Rajesh, Excise Minister and CPM leader, stated that smoking is a bad habit. He told media persons that “smoking and drinking are bad habits, and the Excise Department attempts to prevent students from practising these bad habits.” However, he stated that he was not aware of Cherian’s speech.

Right-thinking people and parents, who are anxious about the growing drug abuse and consumption habits among students, are shocked to hear the “Culture” Minister’s comments that smoking is not a big mistake. The ‘democratically elected’ Saji Cherian forgets that there is a High Court verdict banning public smoking. Whenever public smoking is shown in a movie, a statutory warning, ‘Smoking is injurious to health,’ is mandatory. Governments, Excise Departments, and Police are leaving no stone unturned in combating the drug menace. But here, a ‘Culture’ Minister states in a public address that smoking is not a big mistake and that he smokes too.

A few years ago, Saji Cherian stirred a hornets’ nest by talking about the Constitution in his ‘peculiar’ style, which people observed as an insult to it (the country’s Constitution). Then he was forced to resign from the cabinet. Later, he received relief from the judiciary, which allowed him to return to his position in the government.

Apparently, Alappuzha Excise Deputy Commissioner P.K. Jayaraj has been transferred to Malappuram while just five months remain until his retirement. The transfer order came immediately after he registered the aforementioned case.

This is what Keralites get from CPM and the Left Democratic Front, whether they are in power or not.  The global market forces portrayed smoking cigarettes as a gesture of heroism, replacing tobacco with ganja as adventurism, and defying laws as boldness. This false narrative is repeatedly normalised in private, and the actions of politicians and celebrities have a significant impact and influence on the younger generation.