Ramadoss does a turnaround on cola controversy
On August 22, 2006, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss virtually gave a clean chit to the cola companies. Within 24 hours, the minister had to issue disclaimers.
Ramadoss's initial reactions came in a written statement submitted to the Lok Sabha on August 22, 2006. He was presenting the findings of an expert committee constituted by his ministry to look at cse's report. The committee had cast doubts over cse's research methods. After his statement, the media worldover reported that the Indian government has given a clean chit to the cola companies.
Ramadoss's statements caused much furore in the parliament; several members protested against the minister's "safety certificate' to cola companies, and some were scathing in their criticism of his ministry's functioning.The chastised minister had to eat humble pie and stated that soft drinks were actually unsafe.
But it was not lost on most people that the minister's aspersions about cse's report echoed those of another report