Protests grow over IMPCL privatisation, Congress slams govt’s ayurveda policy

The agitation against the privatisation of Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd (IMPCL), a Mini Ratna public sector company, has intensified as hundreds of employees have gathered in front of the company's Almora facility in Uttarakhand.

The employees, staging a hunger strike, accused the BJP-led Central government of selling off a profitable public asset without consulting the workers, and jeopardising their future.

IMPCL, the only government-owned company producing ayurvedic and unani medicines, has been consistently profitable, making it a crucial entity in the government’s narrative of promoting traditional Indian healthcare. According to the Economic Times, the company made a profit of Rs 18 crore last year, and is preparing to give a dividend of Rs 6 crore to the government. 

The sale, however, has sparked widespread opposition. Employees on strike argue that the government's decision contradicts its claims of promoting ayurveda and indigenous medicine.

"This is not just about selling a company; it's about selling the future of India's ayurvedic industry," one protester remarked, calling the move "an attack on both workers and traditional Indian knowledge".

The Congress has released a scathing video accusing the Modi government of undermining its own commitment to ayurveda by privatising a key player in the sector. The video highlights the government's inconsistent policy and its failure to safeguard public enterprises that benefit from traditional Indian medicine.

Congress general-secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has come out strongly against the privatisation bid, criticising the government's contradictory stance. She questioned the motive behind the sale of the company.

"This unit has more than 500 employees and thousands of small farmers supply their small produce and raw material. The plan to sell the profitable drug factory is exposing the truth of the hypocrisy of promoting Ayurveda and AYUSH. What could be its motive other than handing over the country's precious assets to select friends and filling their coffers?" She asked on X.

The Central government in a letter dated 10 September had said there are no plans to privatize or disinvest IMPCL. In a reply to Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt, the letter sent by Ayush secretary, emphasised that the government has not received any positive response to any privatization bids concerning the company.

Despite these reassurances, the BJP government had made a U-turn.

The larger question however remains: why would the government consider selling off a profit-making pubic company like IMPCL?

Established in 1978, IMPCL has played a key role in the production of affordable Ayurvedic and Unani medicines for government-run institutions and public distribution. With its headquarters in Mohan, Almora, the company has become a vital part of India's healthcare infrastructure.

Critics question whether this move reflects a broader trend of privatization in the health sector, putting public welfare at risk in the name of profit.