on fundamental civil liberties. It must be understood as fundamental, that the negation of bodily integrity of any human being means the loss of all human rights,” the letter states.
“Sir, you are sworn to the Constitution. There is little alternative but to jettison the WHO from our national life,” the letter states.
Apart from warning the Government of India, this letter sounds a warning to communities across the world, whose freedom rests on vigilance and a cultivated ability to defy and disobey, so schemes of corporations acting in concert can be thwarted.
Among the signatories are Nilesh Ojha, advocate, Bombay High Court, Dr Amitav Banerjee, epidemiologist formerly with the Indian Armed Forces, Dr Aseem Malhotra, cardiologist and overseas citizen of India based in the UK, naturopath Dr Jacob Vadakkanchery Malipuram, Aruna Rodrigues, lead petitioner in the GMO PIL in the Supreme Court, pediatrician Jacob Puliyel and Colin Gonsalves and Prashant Bhushan, senior advocates in the Supreme Court.
Dr Mira Shiva, formerly with the Voluntary Health Association of India, who agrees with many provisions in the letter, refused to sign it stating that complete dissociation from WHO may leave intergovernmental interventions in the health sector weaker for lack of an international forum, especially at a time when the assault on Gaza, for instance, needs international action.