Kolkata, April 02: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday criticized the Centre over the price hike of more than 900 essential drugs from April 1 and announced that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will hold rallies across the state on April 4 and 5.
Banerjee urged the Centre to withdraw the decision, stating that the hike would severely impact healthcare costs. “We cannot accept the price hike of medicine and GST on medical insurance. I strongly protest. I request the Centre to withdraw this decision,” she told reporters at the state secretariat.
She also opposed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on medical insurance, questioning why citizens should be taxed on healthcare services. Banerjee said she had written multiple times to the Prime Minister urging the waiver of GST on medical insurance.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) announced the price increase, which affects medicines for critical infections, heart diseases, and diabetes.
Banerjee accused the Centre of making “tall promises” before elections and reversing them afterward. She alleged that the Union government was not working for the poor and was instead trying to divide the country. “Is the government there to introduce a new religion, divide people, and trigger riots?” she asked.
She expressed concerns that the price hike would disproportionately affect the middle class, making essential medicines unaffordable. “Where will the common people get treatment? Was this decision taken for those who can spend crores on treatment?” she said.
Banerjee also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading fake videos, referring to a recent rumor about her resignation. “Fake videos are being circulated every day. Police have registered an FIR,” she said.
Reacting to her remarks, BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said that while protests are a right, the TMC government should also ensure fair-price medicine shops do not sell inferior-quality medicines. “Recently, a woman died after being administered substandard saline. The government should check how much fake medicine is being circulated in the markets,” Bhattacharya said.
