Mangaluru: The Legislative Council Chief Whip Ivan D’Souza said that the State Congress would carry out an extensive protest against the union government, which has declared that arecanut is dangerous for health, in the Parliament.

Addressing a press conference, Ivan D’Souza said that the Union government’s stance is against the interest of arecanut farmers.

“The State Congress will protest against the union government. The date and format of the protest will be decided after a round of discussion with the senior leaders.

When UPA was in power, the expert committee had submitted a report that “arecanut is injurious to health.” At that time, the then MP of Dakshina Kannada had carried out a Padayatra. However, despite being present in the Parliament, the same MP remained silent on the issue when the government was replying to the Bihar MPs on the issue. The Central government should prove that arecanut is injurious to health. Otherwise, they have to give clarification”, he said.

In 2013, Sri Lankan companies stopped importing of areca nut from India as they found Aluminium Phosphide in it. In 2012, Africa had sent 12,000-tonne areacanut back as they found chemical content in it. Hence, the Union Department of Health had ordered the FSSAI director to conduct a research on arecanut in 2013. The authority had mentioned that Aluminium Phosphide is found in the arecanut, in its affidavit.

Now, the organisations and farmers have raised doubts on middlemen and have demanded the government to change its stance based on the research outcomes of JNU Delhi and CFTRI, Mysuru. Ivan D’Souza said that CAMPCO is of no use for arecanut farmers.