NEW DELHI: With the deadline of submitting comments of stakeholders on genetically modified mustard to the central biotech regulator coming to an end on Wednesday, both anti- and pro-GM groups have stepped up their efforts to bring finer points of their respective arguments in public domain. Ranging from holding 'Sarson Satyagraha' to round table conference in different parts of the
country, the anti-GM groups have not only made lot of noise against transgenic variety of mustard but also brought molecular scientists into scene to articulate their points about hazards of genetically engineered crops - refreshing the memory of their protests against Bt brinjal held seven years ago.
Though the central regulator - Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) - had approved the commercial release of Bt brinjal (transgenic variety of brinjal) in October 2009, the environment ministry under the then minister Jairam Ramesh had subsequently put an indefinite moratorium on it.
Since the public opinion had then played key role in forcing the UPA-II government to opt for imposing moratorium on the release of the transgenic brinjal, the anti-GM activists currently appear to be quite eager to repeat the feat in case of GM mustard.
Europe is moving on the poison free path to the future. Why should India allow these poisons to be eaten by Indian children? asked Vandana Shiva, environmentalist and biosafety scientist, after submitting her comments to the GEAC on Tuesday. Shiva sought to argue that Europe was not in favour of the GM crops as it would be hazardous to human health.
But, the anti-GM groups, including the RSS-linked Swadeshi Jagran Manch, are not only banking on such negative public sentiments. Few known members of scientific community too have joined them. This includes the noted molecular biologist and former chief of the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Pushpa Bhargava and Delhi University professor of environmental studies P Pardha Saradhi.
Saradhi will even submit his written comments against the GM mustard variety to the GEAC on Wednesday while Bhargava had on a number of occasions gone on record against the transgenic variety of crops, saying the commercial cultivation of GM mustard would be "disastrous" as it would eventually open the doors for multinational seed companies to control India's agriculture.
The anti-GM groups have also got support in many state governments including Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala and Punjab. Even Delhi government is against commercial release of GM mustard.
Demanding rejection of transgenic mustard, farm activist Kavitha Kuruganti of the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) said, "There are various ways and means by which India's oilseeds production can be increased without resorting to transgenic technology. In fact, the release of (even non-transgenic) hybrids has not resulted in any yield or production increases of mustard as evidence shows".
She, in her letter to environment minister Anil Madhav Dave, said the yield increase claims (of GM mustard applicant) were unfounded and even risk assessment was not comprehensive and thorough.
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