New Delhi: A staggering 88% of girls and women in India don’t have access to sanitary napkins, lack of affordability is one of the major reasons that women in India do not use sanitary products. But instead of making sanitary wear affordable for the masses the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) has levied a whopping 12% tax on sanitary products, earlier they were taxed up to 14.5% depending on states. Meanwhile, sindoor, bangles, and bindis are tax exempted. Is it a fair deal? Ask people on Twitter.

Also Read: GST Impact On Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Abolition of Swachh Bharat Cess And High Tax Rates On Sanitation Products

Sanitary Napkins Is Not A Luxury, It Is A Necessity

1. Essential vs luxury debate rages on

why luxury tax is leived on sanitary napkins! Only rich women bleed? Its high time we should knw its an ESSENTIAL not LUXURY. #lahukalagaan pic.twitter.com/PViJdGL5FQ — Nishchay Luthra (@praptibhatia) June 28, 2017

2. Some got dramatic but a necessity is a necessity

Her struggle is real…

Choosing between an Extra half kg of rice or a packet of sanitary pads.

Will hunger win or hygiene?#LahukaLagaan — TheCommoner'sPlot (@CommonersPlot) June 12, 2017

3. Why are bindis and banfles exempt but not sanitary napkins?

Women use sanitary napkins, but a committee of men levies a 12 % GST on it, bangles and bindis are tax free , can you make sense of this? — Dr Duru Shah (@shah_duru) May 27, 2017

4. As sarcastic as it gets – iA woman can live without bangles, sindoor and bindi – but, not without a sanitary napkin

GST is not going to help me this time too. Sanitary napkins are not exempted. Might be I should start using Sindoor, bangles and bindis. — mamatha jahnavi k (@mamathajk) May 25, 2017

5. A woman’s menstrual cycle is not a choice

GST rate list: 12% tax on sanitary napkins and tampons, but no tax on items like bindis and sindoor https://t.co/0aNY9cJtMh pic.twitter.com/SRd55o0Xfa — Sanitary Panels (@sanitarypanels) May 23, 2017

6. ‘#LahuKaLagaan’ squad: Lahu ka lagaan is a campaign started by SheSays, a not-for-profit organisation to urge the Finance Minister to exempt the tax on sanitary napkins completely

Friends, sanitary napkins should be free under GST, plz tweet to @arunjaitley and make ur voice heard #LahuKaLagaan @SheSaysIndia — Kanan Gill (@KananGill) April 18, 2017

Also Read: Ahead Of GST Launch, Konkona Sen Sharma Asks Why Tax Sanitary Napkins?

7. Spot on! Hygiene first

12% GST on Sanitary Napkins screams-

Ladki hygiene ka kya karegi? Sindoor laga ke, chudiyaan pehen ke ghar pe hi baithna hai! #LahukaLagaan — Ankita (@ankitajain0911) June 29, 2017

Also Read: GST Can Adversely Affect ‘Bio-Toilet’ Industry If Cost Goes Up, Say Industry Players

GST is being touted as the biggest tax reform since Independence in 1947 which aims to create a common market, preventing ‘tax-on-tax’ and making goods and services cheaper. The GST Council is chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising state counterparts, has placed a multitude of goods and services under five categories of tax under GST – zero per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent. But should sanitary pads be taxed?

Also Read: Experts Speak: India Needs A Sanitary Revolution, Still, The Market Is Flooded With Non-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins

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