After NO SMOKING, should we make NO DRINKING?

Health Ministry seems to be at it again. According to Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, actors drinking on screen will encourage youngsters to take up the habit. Hence, scenes depicting alcohol consumption in films need to immediately stop.

However, industry is united against the proposed on-screen drinking ban and is unanimous in its stance:

Madhur Bhandarkar - This is really absurd. Don't we all know that on-screen drinking is not something which has been picked by film makers only now? It has been there since the B&W era and any die hard film buff would know that greats like Ashok Kumar and KN Singh have been seen smoking and drinking in many a films. Why don't we rather see how much does cinema contribute when we talk about communal harmony and power of tolerance? Let's not try picking up issues when there aren't any!