Trinamool to conduct state-wide protests against price hike of essential medicines: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, April 2 (IANS) West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress will conduct massive protest rallies and processions throughout the state on April 4 and April 5 against the price hike of 748 medicines, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday.

"On April 4 and April 5, our party workers will be on the streets on this issue. They will conduct protest rallies and processions in every block at the rural level and every ward at the urban level against its price hike. Unless we protest now, healthcare will be out of reach for common people," she told media persons.

The Chief Minister said that April 4 and April 5 had been chosen for the days of the protests since her party is not in favour of bringing out processions or rallies on this issue on April 6 on the occasion of Ram Navami.

She said that the protest rallies and processions will be conducted between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on both days. "The Union government is trying to introduce a healthcare system where only one per cent of the Indian population, who can afford spending crores of rupees, can afford treatment," she said.

Banerjee noted that the Union government had imposed goods & services tax on the premium on medical insurance. "I protested even then and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," she said.

She also said that the party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members will also be vocal on this issue of price hikes of essential medicines on the floor of the Parliament.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also highlighted the initiatives undertaken by her government to ensure free medical facilities for the common people. "Health is wealth. So our government is providing free Swastha Sathi (the state’s free medical insurance scheme). Every year, there is a huge payout from the state exchequer to provide free treatment and free medicines to common people," she said.

--IANS

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