India is poised to allow the commercial introduction of its first GM food crop, a genetically modified mustard variety developed in India, in the face of opposition from farmer and environmentalists.
New Delhi: The opposition to genetically modified or GM Mustard reached the gates of the environment ministry on Wednesday with a demonstration at the ministry’s Delhi office against the approval granted to the GM crop by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, India’s apex regulator for GMOs.
With the GEAC approval, the decision to allow commercial plantation lies with the environment ministry. If approved GM Mustard will become the first GM food crop to be commercially grown in the country.
Till now only one GM crop, Bt Cotton, is grown in Indian fields. The only other food crop to receive all approvals was Bt Brinjal. However, then environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, blocked its introduction and placed an indefinite moratorium on it.
“It is a conspiracy against farmers, the environment and the public,” one of the speakers at Wednesday’s demonstration held under the banner of Sarson Satyagraha, said.
“We do not want GM Mustard,” the crowd of about a hundred chanted. “In the name of science, they are doing it will make farmers slaves, in the name of science they are trying to double the income of multinationals,” Kavita Kuruganti, an activist associated with the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture, said. “If the government brings this variety farmers will have to buy seeds from these companies every year.”
Source: Hindustan Times