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Bengaluru girl students courier sanitary napkins to Modi, Malavika

  • The students led by NSUI staged a protest against 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins
  • They sought to know whether Prime Minister Modi understood women's travails
  • They also came down heavily on BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash for her insensitive comments
Bengaluru girl students courier sanitary napkins to Modi Malavika

The students of BMS College in Basavanagudi have taken their protest against GST on sanitary napkins to next level. Condemning 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins, the members of National Students Union of India (Women's wing) have sent sanitary napkins to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP spokesperson in Karnataka Malavika Avinash through postal service.

The students wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the problems women face. "Women undergo pain every month. But now with GST on sanitary napkins, it is like rubbing salt on injury," the students complained.

At least half the women population in the country do not have access to sanitary napkins and they continue to go through hell during menstruation. While the GST has spared bangles and sindhoor, it has levied 12 per cent tax on sanitary napkins, an essential need of every women. "This shows Central government's insensitivity towards women. The government must revoke the tax," the protesters demanded.

The protesters also came down heavily on BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash who was trolled for her "use clothes" comment. Malavika Avinash had stated that developed countries were dumping sanitary napkins on the developing countries and urged women to stop using "things from West". Her comments kicked up a debate on various social media platforms severely criticising Malavika. Some of the women wondered if Malavika was using only clothes instead of sanitary napkins. They also asked the BJP leader, if she could provide an alternative to rural women who do not have access to sanitary napkins.  Although Malavika later issued a clarification about her statements, it did not succeed in calming down the irate women.  

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