BRAI Bill introduced in Lok Sabha while protests rage on
The controversial Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 22 amid vehement protests from opposition parties. The BRAI bill is contentious because it proposes to create a new regulatory body which will be a single-window clearance system for genetically modified crops in the country. The bill was introduced by Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Science's Jaipal Reddy despite protests from several MP’s led by Basudeva Acharia, the floor leader of CPI(M). Greenpeace India along with a wide cross section of civil society, scientists, farmer unions etc. has been opposing the BRAI bill ever since it was listed for introduction two years ago. Apart from it proposing a single clearance window, the whole regulatory mechanism is located in the Science and Technology Ministry which is mandated to promote genetically modified food (GM) technology. This is clearly a conflict of interest as the same ministry which is a promoter of GM technology cannot be a good regulator.