Indian MP Launched Petition For Sanitary Pads To Be Tax Free So That Everyone Can Afford Them

From the beginning of time, periods have been women's cryptic nightmare. It's a pain when you have them, it's a shock if you don't. And even though we were taught to remain squeamish about the subject, we never really understood the logic behind it. 

But if we begin to pen down what period brings us, we get- cramps, pain, mood swings, acne, bloating, who needs that? 

Amongst all the difficulties that it bestowed on women, we have to mention, that the whooping cost of the pad continues as a deep concern too. 

In a nation where 200 million girls lack basic education on menstrual hygiene, sanitary napkins come at a price beyond affordability. 

It might come as a shocker to you but many women still use fabric, rags, sand, ash, wood, dried leaves, newspaper, polyethene etc as an alternative to pads.

However, if this Indian MP has it her way, these napkins will soon become tax-free, reducing the hiked price subsequently. 

MP Sushmita Dev recently launched a campaign on Change.org, wherein she's demanding the removal of tax on sanitary napkins. 

Her petition that talks about disturbing information is a slap in the face of feminine healthcare. 

Despite the laudable organisation in the given sector, there isn't any organised women’s movement against the absurdity of high prices for feminine hygiene products such as tampons and pads. 

The MP for Silchar in Assam said that she wants to take this up with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Taxes on sanitary products vary from state to state, but usually they linger between 12-14%.  According to a report, as may as 70% of Indian women still can't afford sanitary pads.  

“Women are being taxed 12 months a year, for about 39 years on a process they have no control over. How is that fair?” Ms Dev said as reported by The News Minute.

Her petition is aimed at making napkins affordable, available and accessible. She also wants to build awareness about hygiene and practices of cleanliness in the given field. 

The petition demands 100% tax exemption for the production and distribution of environment and health friendly pads(reusable cloth sanitary napkins and environment-friendly napkins). It also says that those that aren't bio-degradable should have a minimal tax levied on them to dissuade its large scale use. 

The petition has currently fetched close to 7,000 signatures. If you believe in the cause, please sign the petition here.