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Farmers' unions, consumer groups and eminent citizens today urged the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, not to table the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill in Parliament.
In a letter written to the PM, they reminded him that there was enough scientific evidence to question the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops and therefore, the public protest on the technology and its products.
Signatories to the letter to the PM included veteran journalist Mr Kuldip Nayyar, danseuse Mallika Sarabhai, Bollywood lyricist Gulzar, Supreme Court lawyer Mr Prashant Bhushan, social activist Ms Medha Patkar and Magsaysay award winner Mr Arvind Kejriwal.
The President, Ms Pratibha Patil's address to the joint session of Parliament on the opening day of continuing budget session had a reference to the Government's plan to introduce the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2009.
It intends to establish the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) for regulation of biotechnology in the country, including research, transport, import, manufacture and use of GM crops throughout the country.
The letter said that the Government should have formulated a statutory regulatory regime centred around protecting all citizens and our environment from the risks of biotechnology and the controversial technologies of transgenics, cloning, etc, the letter added.
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