It has been less than a week since taking the oath and Mamata Banerjee has already written three much publicised letters to Prime Minister Modi over Covid related help. On Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee wrote the first letter requesting medical supplies, and after that, one Friday, she requested for raising the oxygen supplies.
On Sunday, she wrote again, requesting a waiver of taxes on Covid related items. “A large number of organisations, individuals and benevolent agencies have come forward to donate oxygen concentrators, cylinders, cryogenic storage tanks, tankers and tank containers and Covid-related drugs. Donations from these organisations will greatly supplement the efforts of the state government in meeting the huge gap in demand and supply,” wrote Mamata Banerjee.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained what she is asking for would prove counterproductive. “A 5 per cent GST rate ensures that the manufacturer is able to utilise ITC and in case of overflow of ITC, claim refund. Hence, exemption to vaccine from GST would be counterproductive without benefiting the consumer,” wrote the Finance Minister.
After the Bengal violence, in which more than a dozen of BJP workers were killed by TMC goons, the clouds of the President’s rule were looming large over the state of West Bengal. These letters are for the optics that she is willing to cooperate with the Union government and ask for help whenever needed. Moreover, these letters take the eyes off of the brutal killing of BJP workers in the state and divert the discussion over to Covid related shortages, for which later Mamata can blame the Union government.
Also, these letters might help Mamata Banerjee with some surplus supplies for the state of West Bengal which does not have financial resources because the TMC government emptied the state coffers in pre-poll freebies.
On Saturday, Mamata Banerjee demanded that vaccines be made free for the entire population of India, which according to her estimates – will cost the Centre a ‘meagre’ 30,000 crores rupees. According to Banerjee, 30,000 crores rupees is “nothing for the central government”. The latest remarks come in the backdrop of Mamata attacking the Centre on the issue of medical oxygen and Covid-19.
Interestingly, Mamata Banerjee’s vociferous campaign to ensure free vaccination for all 1.4 billion Indians comes after she successfully emptied the state treasury by dolling out freebies in her second tenure – particularly after sensing the rise of the BJP in West Bengal. Mindless cash transfers without a proper vision to uplift the people of West Bengal has now resulted in the state demanding free vaccination for all against Covid-19. Essentially, Mamata Banerjee now wants the Centre to bail her out.
Also, these back to back letters divert whole attention to Covid related issues and centre-state relations from the killings of BJP workers, which, unfortunately, but expectedly, got very little media attention.
