New Delhi, May 23 (PTI): Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has sharply differed with his colleague Pranab Mukherjee, insisting that displaying the skull-and-crossbones warning on all tobacco products, especially bidi, would not hurt religious sentiments.

Mukherjee, who heads the group of ministers on the issue, has contended that such a warning would hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community.

Ramadoss said the tobacco lobby has been “instigating such misleading statements”.

A decision on the issue was deferred today till mid-June in the absence of quorum in the group. Three members — Oscar Fernandes, Kamal Nath, Jaipal Reddy — were not able to attend the meeting.

The warnings on all tobacco products were to come into effect from June 1.

“The warning does not hurt religious sentiments of people. Health is more important then any other issue,” Ramadoss said.

“It has been said that the bidi workers will lose their jobs. It is misleading to think the pictorial warning will put them out of business,” he said.