Anti-GM activists demand rejection of GM mustard, submits memorandum to PM

Anti-GM activists and farmers have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding rejection of genetically modified (GM) Mustard to safeguard the interest of farmers, consumers and environment.

Farmers organisations including RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, civil society organisations, experts and common citizens under the banner Sarson Satyagraha have come together and pointed out "serious objections" to the release of GM Mustard in their memorandum.

"All major farmer organisations are raising a strong voice against GM Mustard which they don't see as a beneficial technology in either short or long term, carrying all the risks described above, and opening the door for many other GM food crops.

"We demand that the government should reject GM Mustard. We urge you to take this decision as Prime Minister, in the interests of farmers, consumers and environment, and ultimately in the national interest," the memorandum said.

It said that no state government is favouring GM mustard, while many important mustard states have taken a firm stand against commercial approval of the hybrid and even states that are mainly into mustard consumption are against this HT mustard.

"As a government that professes to stand for cooperative federalism, the government of India should not go through with GM mustard approval in the face of objections from states," it said.

Country's biotech regulator Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) had constituted a sub- committee to review the technical details and dossier related to environmental release of Genetically Engineered Mustard.

The report was uploaded on the ministry's website inviting comments from various stakeholders till October 5.

After receiving hundreds of comments from various stakeholders, the Ministry had forwarded it to the sub- committee which after studying it will submit its final report to the biotech regulator, GEAC.