In the campaign, students are encouraging women to write their views on menstrual hygiene on sanitary napkins. Once they collect 1,000 such napkins with messages, they will send them to the Prime Minister. The initiative launched on January 4 is gaining good support on social media.
Students say that the campaign has been launched to create awareness among women on their empowerment. They believe that Prime Minister Modi can contribute in the campaign by removing the GST on sanitary napkins.
Hari Mohan one of the student who began the campaign said,“Sanitary napkins have been placed under 12% GST. Women use things during their menstrual days, which is fatal to them. Instead of giving subsidy, it has been placed under the category of luxury items. So we started this campaign. We aim to send 1,000 pads to the government March 3."
Another activist Preet Joshi said, “Women in rural areas can't spend Rs 100 on sanitary napkins. This situation discourages them from using sanitary napkins all the more. They end up falling prey to diseases. Free napkins, at least GST-free napkins, must reach women,” another activist, Preeti Joshi.
It is to be noted that in November 2017, the Delhi High Court had asked the government an explanation on why sanitary napkins were not exempted from the GST.
"You exempt bindi, kajal and sindoor. But you tax sanitary napkins. It's such a necessity. Is there any explanation for it," the bench asked the government.
In response, the government officials have defended their move by saying that their decision was driven by a desire to protect local manufacturers.
However, the campaign is gaining positive support on social media