BJP targets Rahul Gandhi over remarks on drugs

BJP today targeted Rahul Gandhi over his allegation that the Narendra Modi government allowed prices of cancer and other drugs to shoot up, saying he was indulging in "false propaganda" because of "certain defeat" of the Congress in the assembly elections.
The ruling party released a list of drugs with their old and current prices to buttress its claim that the prices remain unchanged. The list also carried the price which the media reported quoting the Congress leaders.
"The number of drugs whose prices are kept under control was 440 before BJP came to power and now their count is 489.

"The prices of 108 non-scheduled drugs meant for treatment of cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases have come down by 30 percent providing relief of Rs 350 cr to consumers," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters.
The statement of Rahul Gandhi is "factually incorrect, insensitive and immature. We strongly condemn it and see it as a false propaganda during election emerging out of the frustration of their certain defeat," he said.
Taking a dig at Gandhi, he said they never expected "much maturity and wisdom" from him "but he should do a little more homework before making such accusations".

Trivedi said, "He (Rahul) has just failed miserably in Lok Sabha polls. He is somebody who is a prime ministerial candidate since birth but did not speak much for 10 years in Lok Sabha. Being a senior member of the country's oldest party, he should practice some caution."

Trivedi also criticised Gandhi for allegedly telling people in his election meeting in Mewat yesterday that their children will die of cancer due to Modi government's policies.
Accusing the Modi government of working for "big businessmen," Gandhi had alleged yesterday that it lifted control on drug prices at the behest of some US companies which has led to cancer medicines costing over Rs 1 lakh instead of Rs 8000 earlier.