Suspicious Bill

<p>Hi ,<br /><br />I just signed a petition asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill from being passed.<br><br>
This bill will create a body which will single-handedly clear all genetically modified (GM) crops. Public opposition made the Karnataka government ban field trials of GM crops in the state recently. Now we need to get the national government to stop this bill.
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<strong>You should ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop the dangerous BRAI bill too:</strong><br><br>
<a href='http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php?tyf&#39;&gt;http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /><br />
Regards,<br />
<br /><hr /><br /> <table width="200" cellpadding="10" bgcolor="#8B581F" align="right" style="margin: 5px; padding: 5px; ">
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<td colspan="2"><a xt="SPCLICK" name="sidebar" style="text-decoration: none;" href="http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&quot;&gt;&lt;span style="color:#fff; font-size:20px; text-align:center;">Click here to ask PM Manmohan Singh to save your food</span></a></td>
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Our government is working on a disastrous recipe. It&rsquo;s a bill that will place genetically modified (GM) food on our plates, without our knowledge.<br />
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The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India <strong>(BRAI) bill</strong> can be tabled anytime in this monsoon session of Parliament. The bill, which is not even public, is being pushed in a <strong>hasty and secretive</strong> fashion. According to an earlier version leaked by the media, the bill will create a centralised non transparent body which will become the sole approver for GM crops. ^[1]<br />
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By being secretive, the <strong>government</strong> is only <strong>creating</strong> more <strong>suspicion</strong> about the intention of the bill. <strong>Public opposition</strong> helped stop Bt Brinjal, last year.^[2] Now we need to get the national government to stop this bill and save our food.<br />
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<strong>You should ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop this bill because it is not transparent.</strong><br />
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="link" class="contentlink">http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br />
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Opposition from people against GM crops in Karnataka made the government declare a ban on the field trials of GM crops in the state. ^[3] This can be achieved again. Support from lakhs of people will help put <strong>pressure on</strong> the <strong>PM</strong> to stop this bill.<br />
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The last known draft of the <strong>bill</strong> had a clause which allowed BRAI to <strong>escape</strong> the purview of <strong>Right to Information</strong>.^[4] If the bill is passed as is, we will not be able to stop <strong>genetic modification of 56 other crops</strong> in the pipeline.</p>
<p>Ask the PM to <strong>stop this bill</strong> now!</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="link_1" class="contentlink">http://www.greenpeace.in/take-action/save-your-food/stop-the-brai-bill.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br />
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Thanks a billion!</p>
<p></p>
<p><img alt="Photo of Kapil Mishra" src="http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/profile-images/kapil-mishra.jpg&quot; name="Cont_0" /><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Kapil Mishra<br />
Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner<br />
Greenpeace India<br />
</span></p>
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<div style="border-top:1px #ddd dotted; border-bottom:1px #ddd dotted; color:#333; background:#fafafa; padding: 15px;" class="sources">
<h4 class="sources">Sources:</h4>
<ol>
<li>A law unto itself, <em>www.outlookindia.com</em>, March 8, 2010<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264454&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="dna" class="source">http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264454&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
<li>India says no to Bt brinjal, for now, <em>www.rediff.com</em>, February 9, 2010<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/09/india-says-no-to-bt-brinjal-for-now.htm&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="red" class="source">http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/09/india-says-no-to-bt-brinjal-for-now.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
<li>No GM trials in State: Katti, <em>Deccan Herald</em>, July 20, 2011 <br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/177877/no-gm-trials-state-katti.html&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="dh" class="source">http://www.deccanherald.com/content/177877/no-gm-trials-state-katti.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
<li>Biotech Bill: Sweeping powers, glaring omissions, <em>www.rediff.com</em>, March 11, 2010<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://business.rediff.com/column/2010/mar/11/guest-biotech-bill-glaring-omissions.htm&quot; xt="SPCLICK" name="out" class="source">http://business.rediff.com/column/2010/mar/11/guest-biotech-bill-glaring-omissions.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
</ol>
</div>shreeseva.it@gmail.com</p>
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