Mamata slams Centre over medicine price hike; TMC to hold rallies on Apr 4-5 | Kolkata

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday slammed the Centre over hike in prices of more than 900 essential drugs from April 1 and said the Trinamool Congress would hold rallies across the state on April 4 and 5.

“I strongly protest. I request (the Centre) to withdraw this decision. We will hold protest rallies and meetings in every block and every civic ward across the state from 4pm to 5pm on April 4 and 5. I would urge the common people to protest. Else this unilateral decision of the Centre would take a heavy toll on health,” Banerjee told media persons at the state secretariat.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced an increase in the prices of over 900 essential drugs from April 1. The list includes medicines for critical infections, heart diseases and diabetes.

“We cannot accept the price hike of medicine and GST on medical insurance. When will the Centre stop their jumla-bazi? They make tall promises ahead of the elections and withdraw their decisions once the polls are over. Why would citizens have to pay GST on medical insurance? Let the good sense prevail”

“I have written to the Prime Minister multiple times urging him to waive tax on medical insurance. The state is not receiving its share of GST. The Centre has ceased all work meant for the poor. Then why is the Union government there? Is it there to introduce a new religion which doesn’t include Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and our Vedas? Is it there to divide people, the country and to trigger riots?” she said.

“I am alarmed and disheartened. When doctors prescribe these medicines, people will have to pay many times extra money to buy them. Where will the common people get the treatment from? Was this decision taken for one section of people who can spend crores for treatment? Is the government for them or the middleclass?” she said.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also launched a veiled attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without naming the party while alleging that the latter was spreading fake videos.

“Yesterday some news was spread that I have resigned. Police have registered FIR. the jumla party only believes in divide-and-rule policy. Fake videos are being circulated every day. Earlier attempts were made to pass off videos of Gujarat riots as those from Murshidabad,” she said.

Reacting to her, Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member told media, “Everyone has the right to protest and hold rallies. But at the same time the TMC-government should also see that inferior quality medicines are not sold at the state-run fair price medicine shops. Recently a woman died after being administered with inferior quality saline. The government should also check how much fake medicines are being circulated in the markets.”