Nagpur, Dec. 9 -- A major discussion was held in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly over the state's decision to ban gutka, with legislators calling for tougher action against the wider narcotics problem affecting cities and rural regions alike.
Mumbai MLA Amin Patel, initiating the debate, thanked the Chief Minister for taking what he described as a "historic step" in legally prohibiting gutka. Patel said the ban would help shield the youth from the harmful effects of the substance, but stressed that the expanding trade of other narcotics, such as ganja and opium, posed an equally serious threat.
Patel argued that if laws can be amended to ban gutka, similarly stringent legislation should be enacted against these narcotics. He question...