On Sunday, widespread criticism of Microsoft founder Bill Gates began on Twitter in India with the #ArrestBillGates. Gates is being accused of funding a programme in 2009 of testing and sterilizing indigenous vaccines on tribal children via his NGO Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
It is being claimed that the BMGF conducted an unlawful clinical trial of a vaccine on tribal children, without the consent of their parents.
As per a GreatGameIndia report, a Seattle-based NGO, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), with funding by BMGF, conducted trials in Telangana’s Khammam wherein they administered the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to 14,000 tribal girls of 10-14 years of age.
The report suggests that many children fell ill and four girls died after being injected with Gardasil. Their families, however, did not know that their children were being administered with it. It is believed that most of the girls’ parents had no knowledge of the trials as the girls lived in government-run hostels.
Hansraj Meena, Socio- Political Activist and Founder of Tribal Army, took to Twitter today to share this news.
Apparently, an article by the Economic Times voiced this news back in 2014.
Today, a furore has arisen on Twitter as Indians are demanding the arrest of the business tycoon for the deaths of tribal girls in India.
Here's how people are reacting to the news. Have a look.