Eyecatchers-144: "Jail for GM Food Critics!"

I received the following mail, with attachment, from my friend, Professor Subbiah Arunachalam and found it shocking and highly disturbing and thought I would post it in my blog in its entirety for the perusal of everybody:

India Seeks Jail For GM Food Critics

An Indian citizen who questions the safety of any GM food or medicine could be put behind bars for a minimum period of six months under a new law proposed by the ministry. The clause to silence critics of GM food is contained in the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India ( BRAI) Bill,2009 prepared by the Department of Biotechnology, which is a wing of the ministry of science and technology headed by Prithviraj Chavan. 'Misleading public about organism and products' is one of the crimes for which punishment has been prescribed in Section 63, Chapter 13 of the Bill which deals with various " offences and penalties". The clause specifically deals with critics of biotech products including GM food crops. - Devinder Sharma

By Devinder Sharma
20 February, 2010
Devinder Sharma Blog

I am not sure whether you would believe your ears. You can't probably imagine that any sensible government (except for USA, of course) can try to gag your voice. If you thought that your fundamental right to speech and freedom is guaranteed under the Constitution, you need to think again. The proposed National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority (NBRA) bill is actually trying not only to silence the opposition to GM foods, but also has provisions that can put you in jail for a minimum of six months.

Look at the power of the GM companies, the ghost of the Emergency era is back. During the Emergency, all those who opposed Mrs Indira Gandhi were jailed. But the proposed NBRA goes still further. In addition to putting you in jail, it also imposes a fine of Rs 2 lakh. And if you hold a demonstration against a university or try to 'obstruct' research, you face imprisonment for three months and/or a fine of Rs 5 lakh.

This is the power and reach of the GM companies. The US is already contemplating legal provisions which will outlaw organic farming. In India, the Department of Biotechnology, which has possibly framed this legislation, is aiming at turning Indian science into a ghetto.

If the bill was already in force, you and me (those who opposed the introduction of Bt brinjal) would have been in jail by now. Dr M S Swaminathan and Dr Pushpa Bhargava too would have been in jail. Interestingly, and as I told Mail Today: "Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who has questioned the safety of GM crops, would have been behind bars because he would have violated it."

Here is the report from the front page of Mail Today:

GOVT MOOTS JAIL FOR GM FOOD CRITICS

By Dinesh C Sharma in New Delhi
http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=1922010

Draconian clause in biotech regulatory Bill aims at muzzling debate on safety of GM products

IF THE ministry of science and technology has its way, criticising genetically- modified ( GM) products could land you in jail.

An Indian citizen who questions the safety of any GM food or medicine could be put behind bars for a minimum period of six months under a new law proposed by the ministry.

The clause to silence critics of GM food is contained in the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India ( BRAI) Bill,2009 prepared by the Department of Biotechnology, which is a wing of the ministry of science and technology headed by Prithviraj Chavan.

'Misleading public about organism and products' is one of the crimes for which punishment has been prescribed in Section 63, Chapter 13 of the Bill which deals with various " offences and penalties". The clause specifically deals with critics of biotech products including GM food crops.

Grateful thanks to Professor Subbiah Arunachalam, Mr.Devinder Sharma, Dinesh C Sharma and MailToday.