New Delhi:  Congress President Sonia Gandhi has supported a petition for scrapping of tax on sanitary napkins. It may be mentioned that BJP minister Maneka Gandhi has also supported the idea of removing taxes on the item. Mrs Gandhi recalled that during previous UPA government she had called for providing napkins free to BPL families. Both are the daughters-in-law ( hindi : bahu) of the illustrious Indira Gandhi, the first woman Prime Minister of India.

“I am extremely happy to know that you have taken up this case that I fully support.

“You would be interested to know that during the tenure of our UPA government I had again and again requested both Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then Health Minister, and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to provide sanitary napkins for free at least to BPL families,” Mrs Sonia Gandhi said in a letter to party leader Sushmita Dev, who is now spearheading the petition.

The Congress President also said, “I would like to reiterate my whole-hearted support to your initiative in this regard.”

Dev has initiated a movement and signed a petition urging the present government for making sanitary napkins tax-free. Use of sanitary pads is an important women’s health issue in India.

  development, health, women