The call for signature collection drive was given by AIIEA’s 17th general conference which concluded at Hyderabad on December 30, 1998, in order to mobilise and demonstrate broadest section of public opinion against this ill-conceived measure. Collection of such large number of signatures was done by over 25000 cadres of AIIEA spreading themselves into cities, towns, and villages and explaining the message against privatisation. This was done through intensive campaign and personal contacts. Besides this, every member of AIIEA was involved in some way or the other. The signatories included very prominent people as well as ordinary people.

Besides this, over 300 prominent personalities -- retired judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts and other courts, serving and former advocate generals, former vice-chancellors of universities, professors, economists, former high officials of the government (some who participated in GATT negotiations), other professionals, editors, journalists, political leaders and others have written to the Standing Committee on Finance scrutinising the IRA Bill, expressing their opposition and seeking to give evidence.

The ploy of the government is to pass it off as public involvement and scrutiny. It is an attempt to project a false picture of national consensus in favour of privatisation of insurance. In contrast, the 1.35 crore of people who have signed the memorandum constitute the true national consensus against the IRA bill and privatisation of insurance. The campaign involving people of all denominations, the sheer number, the depth and sweep of it spread all over the country including rural areas constituted the most comprehensive survey undertaken on any issue. Other sample surveys we have seen being projected as scientific and acceptable involved hardly a couple of thousand people spread over a small area. So, this national consensus involving 1.35 crore of people of all parts of the country should not be ignored; the government must respect this opinion and should not push through with the IRA bill and privatisation.