Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, on Sunday had to face angry protests of farmers in Hyderabad over a move to produce the genetically modified Bt brinjal in the country. Protests and demonstrations were also held in New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday and Sunday.
He had gone there as part of public consultations on Bt brinjal. Consultations are being held in Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.
The Minister, however, said a final decision on the issue would be taken in 10 days after consultations with all concerned. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had last year given its nod for commercial release of Bt Brinjal and Ramesh had promised additional consultations with farmers’ groups, NGOs, scientists and other stakeholders before the release of Bt brinjal.
Demanding earlier that the government reverse its decision, farmers, scientists and NGOs staged angry demonstrations in Hyderabad and disrupted a public hearing organised by the ministry. The protestors did not allow the Minister to speak at the public consultation held at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in Hyderabad.
The protestors alleged that GM crops like Bt Brinjal could have adverse effects on the human body as they have not been tested properly. They also said the GM crops would also cripple the economy and hamper India's national biodiversity as well as self-reliance.
He also faced a similar protest in Kolkata during the first public consultations on the genetically modified Bt-Brinjal on January 13 when he turned up to hear the opinions of scientists, farmers and research scholars on the issue.
In New Delhi, people from various walks of life – activists, farmers, women and students – joined together in a silent march to protest against genetically modified foods, especially BT Brinjal on Saturday. The march, which was organised by Safe Food Alliance, was flagged off by Ms Vandana Shiva, environmentalist and founder director of Navadanya and RFSTE, Delhi near Labour statue at Marina
‘Brinjal Satyagraha’
In Chennai, hundreds of people from the city participated in ‘Brinjal Satyagraha’ a nationwide fasting campaign against commercialisation of Bt Brinjal in India.
Vandana Shiva, a veteran eco-activist of Chipko movement fame flagged off the protest in Chennai. It was marked by a cycle rally from various parts of Chennai to Labour Statue at Marina Beach from where a group consisting of activists, farmers, students and women went on a silent march till Gandhi statue, sensitising the public on the potential hazards of Genetically Modified Organisms.
There was a hunger fast outside the State Guest House by the Women’s collective of Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, in Tiruvarur district, the farmers led by organic farming scientist Nammalvar observed fast in front of the municipal office in Tiruvarur pressing the demand. Tamil Nadu Farmers Awareness Movement president Dr Usharani kicked off the agitation.
In Nagai district, the farmers led by Organic Farmers Association president Jayabal observed fast at Abiramiamman Sannathi. The use of genetically modified seeds would push the traditional variety of brinjal on the verge of extinction, while farmers would be forced to depend on the MNCs to get the seeds.
On Saturday there was protest against Bt brinjal in Trivandrum to stop introduction of Bt Brinjal and to protect the food sovereignty of the country.
Documentary on ‘Kathirikkai’ by Revathy, Rohini
Film actress Rohini also joined in in the protest. ``I could not become part of it in Tamil Nadu, so I thought I will do it here,’’ she said. Rohini, incidentally, along with Revathy has just finished a film on the issue called `Kathirikkai’. The film, intended to create an awareness on the ill-effects of the toxic brinjal, was released a couple of days ago in Tamil Nadu
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India, the world’s second largest producer of brinjal, is in the grip of a nationwide debate over whether to allow the commercial production of its genetically modified variant (Bt brinjal) or not.
BT brinjal is a transgenic brinjal created by inserting a gene cry1Ac from soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into brinjal. A US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation and a Maharashtra-based Indian company market BT brinjal in India. (ANI)
Bt cotton was the first transgenic crop to be released in India. After its introduction in the year 2002, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Bt cotton. Its performance, impact on the environment, biodiversity and health of cattle has been widely debated.
With the regulatory body for approving GM crops in India, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), announcing its approval for large scale field trials for Bt brinjal in September 2007, some analysts opined that Bt brinjal would have a significant economic impact on farmers while some raised doubts on its safety and environmental implications.
Six states have imposed a ban on Bt Brinjal, Tamil Nadu alone has settled on a temporary ban stating that they would wait till “there is a clarity on the issue.”
French study slams it as unsafe
A French scientific study has slammed Bt brinjal, heating up the controversy over the biotech crop's safety, as India pushes ahead with large-scale field trials.
Led by Caen University professor Gilles-Eric Seralini, a study team of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering has not only branded B brinjal "unsafe for human consumption" but also raised serious doubts on safety data presented by developers Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Ltd (Mahyco) to the government. Mahyco is the Indian partner of US biotech giant Monsanto.
The study says eating BT brinjal brought down appetite in goats, altered prothrombin (which helps blood clot) in rabbits and glucose levels in broiler chickens in its tests. It also induced resistance to kanamycin, an antibiotic. The study also questioned safety tests conducted by Mahyco, based on which the government is conducting trials. It said in toxicity tests on insects, Mahyco used an "improper" toxin. "This could also make these tests not valid," it said.
There are some who highlight the advantages of this variety.
An old Tamil adage says if brinjal harvested has to come to market; will this Bt brinjal make it to market?
- Asian Tribune -
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