The air in our cities is so polluted that cigarette smoke will make no difference to it. What would have made a huge difference is if the Health Minister had insisted on reductions in the emissions of motor vehicles and forced polluting factories to clean up their act. What would have made a difference is if he had spent our money on overhauling a public healthcare system that is so bad that more than 80 per cent of our poorest citizens are forced to rely on private healthcare. Sickness is the leading reason for rural indebtedness.

This is not all Ramadoss’ fault. He inherited a public healthcare system that was in terrible shape. What he can be blamed for is doing nothing at all to make things better. What he can be blamed for is concentrating on cosmetic changes when what was needed was a major operation to remove the tumour of decades of neglect. At the end of his tenure if all he has to offer us is this ban on smoking in public places, then it really is time for him to go back to the provinces.