Expressing concern over delay in introduction of the proposed bill on HIV/AIDS in parliament, Nagaland-based NGOs working in this field have demanded tabling of the bill during the current session of the house.
They demanded HIV/AIDS Bill 2010, finalised by Solicitor General of India, should be tabled immediately in the parliament without any change by the law ministry.
In a joint letter to Union Law minister Veerappa Moily, NGOs mentioned that the bill was submitted to the law ministry in 2007 and yet to be tabled. "The insensitivity on the part of the law ministry for the past three years is unacceptable," the letter said.
In November last year, law ministry sent the bill to the solicitor general and the solicitor general’s draft reinstated "several important provisions" and was resent to the law ministry in February, the letter said.
"It has now come to our knowledge that law ministry is making changes to the draft, thus going beyond its mandate once again," the NGOs said.
The letter to the law minister was signed by Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organisation (NNaga-DAO0), Kekhrie Foundation, Kripa Foundation, Turning Point, Grace Society, Walo Organisation, Eureka Life Foundation, Guardian Angel, Yingli Mission Society, Rukizumi Welfare Society and Kohima Users’ Network.