CPI leader D. Raja alleges Government under RSS' guidance on GM crops issue

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader, D. Raja today alleged that BJP-led NDA government was working under the influence of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS), and urged the government to consult all stakeholders, before coming to a decision in respect to genetically modified (GM) crops.

"Definitely the government is increasingly coming under the guidance of RSS and the outfits controlled by RSS. Having said that, different political parties and different farmers' organizations have taken a stand, where there is a strong resistance to genetically modified (GM) crops. Not only NGOs but farmers' organisations were opposed to GM crops," Raja said.

"Government was not taking a clear cut stand in the past. Even the Congress led UPA-II was vacillating and it could not get the seeds bill passed, the pesticides bill is pending. It is an issue where there is resistance, when the government takes any stand it should consult all the stakeholders, like parliament and different Kisan organizations," he added.

Two organisations linked with the RSS on Tuesday reportedly sought the ban of field trials of genetically modified crops, which had been cleared by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), even as the government has said that no decisions would be made in haste.

On Tuesday, representatives of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and the Bhartiya Kissan Sangh had met Prakash Javadekar, the Environment Minister, on the matter of field trials of GM crops.

It may be noted that in this regard, following the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, giving a go-ahead for the trial of 15 crops, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had tweeted saying, " Field trials of GM Crops is not a Government Decision. It is a recommendation of a Committee.