In the Assembly on Monday, the punishment liable for the manufacturers of fake medicines is the subject of discussion. The entire opposition is demanding CBI investigation into this issue and also asking Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam to resign, seeing that the fabrication of fake medicines are increasing at a faster rate.

Congress has presented an idea that all the pharmacies in the state should be governed by the government, so that government can keep a check on the sale of genuine medicines.

Members related to various parties including Chief Minister M Karunanidhi were worried regarding the chastisement involved in the crime of manufacturing fake medicines. They realized that being such a big offence, punishment involved in this crime is too nominal which does not dispirit the culprits.

During this discussion, he has also brought to the notice, the Meenakshisundaram fake medicine case, in which prime accused was punished with a penalty of pay Rs 7000 only and imprisonment till the raising of the court.

CM also expressed that CBI can investigate the whole issue if the crime had inter-state effect. While addressing the members of the Assembly, he said, "We should also behave as a responsible citizen by not creating any psychological phobia among the people for using the medicines. We should also look for some alternative strict action against the people involved in this crime, as many of them are still enveloped".

He holds an opinion that expired drugs are safer than fake medicines because intake of fake medicines can result in death but use of expired medicines does not prove fatal.

Karunanidhi said that public has a tendency of blaming police for each and every issue; he recollected the episode when the authorities were blamed for detaining huge quantities of black market rice, instead of appreciating their work.

It was found that state had 539 drug manufacturing companies, about 42500 retail and wholesale drug sellers. In order to deal with the issue of manufacturing fake medicines, last year government has implemented modifications which ensure the availability of quality medicines to the public and make ascertain that a serious action is taken against the people involved in this crime.