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Online Report

The BJP-led government at the Centre has decided to promulgate an Ordinance to amend the Patents Act, 1970 throwing to the winds the country’s economic sovereignty and the slogan of self reliance. Interestingly, the same BJP, now the dominant partner of the combine opposed the Patents Bill introduced by the then Congress government in Parliament in 1992 .The Bill could not be passed then .Now they have made a volte face.

The BJP-led government got the Patent Act amendment Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha with the support of the Congress in the winter session of Parlaiment although the left, parities in particular, asked the government to send the Bill to a Parliamentary committee for a threadbare discussion as the issue was very significant in the context of the national economy and the country'’ programme for self reliance. Without heeding suggestion the Government got it passed by the Rajya Sabha hurriedly. But in view of opposition from within the BJP, the government did not introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha even on the last day of the session fearing that it might be defeated in the House. By the time fissures also developed in the Congress leadership over supporting the Bill in the Lok Sabha. As an excuse the BJP said then that the Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha had not been returned to the Government from the office of the Presiddent. The President ‘s office denied the allegation. Now that the BJP’s National Executive has endorsed the Government’s view the latter is going ahead with promulgating the ordinance ignoring all opposition. The BJP’s dual role on the same issue has been exposed.

The Left parties including the CPI(M) have opposed the amendment of the Patent Act ,all through these years as they all know that the amendment will open the floodgates to the foreign multinational companies to exploit the country. Once the amending Bill is passed in the Lok Sabha these companies will have exclusive rights to market their products in Indian markets. Rightly the West Bengal Chief Minister , Jyoti Basu, has called for a detailed discussion on the various provision of the amending Bill either at the National Development Council or at the Inter-State Council before it is introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Basu wrote a letter to the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee requesting him to call a meeting of either of the two councils as early as possible. Basu said the Centre’s decision to rush through the Patents (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha in spite of requests that it be discussed with different Chief Ministers, was unfortunate. Basu also reminded the Prime Minister that several other Chief Ministers too had written to him seeking a discussion on the subject. He reiterated that several posivisions of the Bill encroached on the jurisdiction of the States as delineated in the Constitution. "The issues involved are of grave import to the country and it is my fervent hope that no attempt will be made to ride rough-shod over the prerogatives of the States…" Basu said.