CHIEF MINISTER Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over the hike in medicine prices and announced that her party, the TMC, would protest across the state on Friday and Saturday. She also urged all section of the society to show their protest against medicine price hike.
“I am shocked”, Banerjee said during a press conference at Nabanna. She said, “The Centre will get all the benefits of the price hike. Why this hike? Where will the general public get treatment? Is the government (at the Centre) only for one section of people who can afford this price? I am protesting this and demanding a total withdrawal of this hike. Demanding that, my party will protest against this in every block of the state. I would request the common public to protest because otherwise while health system will be in big trouble in future.”
“Why do people have to give GST in their mediclaim? Where should or will poor people go? We can’t accept price hike of medicines. I also request our party MPs to protest against this.”
She claimed that the Centre government increased price of 748 scheduled drugs and 80 non-scheduled drugs.
She also criticised the BJP for “creating hype” ahead of Ram Navami. She said, “They (BJP) introduced new religion – to divide people. I respect all religions. Every religious programme or occasion should be celebrated peacefully.”
“Remember that religion belongs to an individual, but festivals are for everybody. We respect all religions but not those who stage violence in the name of organising rallies,” she said.
“Punjabis hold rallies with kirpans—you can also hold rallies, but you must follow the restrictions of police and not create trouble by going to other areas,” she added.
“I don’t have any objections to rallies during Ram Navami. People will celebrate the festival in their own fashion,” the CM said. The Trinamool Congress supremo took a dig at the Left parties, accusing them of having an understanding with the BJP.
“I have respect for several Left leaders but not those who become friends of the BJP whenever the elections are near,” she said.
—with PTI inputs